Gender Changing Toffees
by Emma-Lee14
Summary: On a trip to Hogsmeade Draco runs into a new shop, Weasleys Wizarding Weezes. Its here that he buys a taletale Toffee that's more than what it appears. And when things get out of hand, there is only one person whom Dumbledore can trust...Hermione Granger!
1. Weasleys Wizarding Weezes

_**Gender Changing Toffees Chapter One:**_

_**Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes**_

Draco Malfoy ran a hand through his silky blonde hair and glanced anxiously at the shops jumbled around him. He HAD to get to a bathroom soon. After a moment or so of scanning the nearby shops, he spotted a nice looking one about four doors down from where he stood. Finally, he thought. After glancing at his watch to make sure he had enough time to stop before the Hogwarts Express arrived, he headed over to the shop. From the outside it looked like an average sized red shop. There was a sign hanging above the door, but Draco didn't have time to stop and read it. He had to go NOW. _Damn all those butterbeers…_He pushed the wooden door open and immediately gasped. The inside of the store was much larger than it appeared to be and it was crammed with… stuff. Shelves were on each wall and held what appeared to be broom kits, robes, wands, and other Wizarding objects. However, what fascinated him the most was that they had the largest assortment of candy that he had ever seen. In the back of the shop stood several shelves, crates, stands, and boxes; all full of brightly colored candy. These guys could give Honeydukes a run for their money. Entranced in the candies, Draco didn't notice when someone walked up behind him. He jumped up, spooked when he heard someone speaking.

"Well well well, what do we have here? What would a Malfoy be doing in our lowly little shop?"

Draco sneered and turned around, to come face to face with Fred and George Weasley. The two narrowed their eyes at him dangerously, as if they'd like to hex him right on the spot.

"I uh….uh…" he stammered. Being so close to the twins, whom were very strong from many years of Quidditch, was very intimidating. And it didn't help much that the was near about to wet himself in their store. Potty and Weasel would have a field day.

"Come off it Malfoy, what do you want?" Barked George, obviously amused on the effect they were having on the boy. Draco cleared his throat uncomfortably, all too aware of the reason he had entered their shop.

"Err, I need to go to the restroom." He replied. The twins smiled. Then they grinned. Then they both began to laugh uncontrollably, slapping their hands on the counter. Draco glared at the red-heads. They seemed to find this amusing for some reason. Draco thought that to be extremely rude. He expected better behavior from the two. Even if they WERE Weasleys. He groaned inwardly. Finally they uttered their last few chuckles and turned to the trembling, scared little boy that was so unlike the arrogant one he often pretended to be.

"Need to potty do you Malfoy? Going to wet yourself?" George asked, dabbing a napkin at his still wet eyes. Doing so caused another ripple of laughter from his brother. Draco stiffened, still oblivious to what was so funny.

"Sorry, but the bathrooms only for PAYING customers." Continued Fred. Draco bit his lip. He didn't know if he would be able to make it to the next shop… What if he DIDN'T?

After going over the matter in his mind, Draco decided that he would defiantly be better off going here, then going in his pants trying to use Madame Puffin-what's her names- pink toilets.

He rolled his eyes angrily, "Fine, give me something and I'll pay for it." Fred and George glanced at each other- a glance that made an already terrified Draco, even more nervous. The two seemed to think about it.

"He would be perfect." George mused.

"True, and he DID ask for it." added Fred

"But are you sure its ready?" asked George.

"Who cares? Well find out."

"Ok, go get it." George decided.

Draco stared at the twins, dumbfounded. What were they talking about? A thought flashed across his mind. What if they were crazy? He had to get out of here soon…. He glanced around suspiciously for the door- darn! It was a good five yards to it, and the Twins were right by him. However, if he ran for it... maybe he could make it. Fred interrupted his thoughts of escape.

"Ok, go use it. It's right over there." Fred told him, gesturing to a door near the back of the room. Draco sighed, happy that he could finally relieve himself. Without so much as a backwards glance at the snickering pair, he ran to the door, leaving it swinging behind him.

"Now, where did we put them?" asked Fred, searching through a box near the counter.

"I think there in the back, with the rest of the experimental stuff." George muttered, munching happily on a chocolate frog. Fred grinned wickedly, and headed for the back room. After rummaging around for a minute or so he returned with a small bag of brightly wrapped toffees.

"Found them!" He boasted. George rolled his eyes, and pointed at Draco, who had just came from the bathroom. The boy stared at the two for a minute or so, as if unsure of what to do. Fred grinned at him and shoved one of the toffees, a brightly wrapped blue one, in his hand.

"That will be five galleons." He said. Draco rolled his eyes, and handed them the money.

"Happy?" he asked.

"Very. Now, be sure to eat that soon, or it'll melt." replied George. Draco nodded his head happily, already the aroma of the toffee was making him salivate. Briefly he wondered why George was eating a chocolate frog if he had all those sweets in their shop. But he quickly pushed aside the idea. _They're probably both mad as loons._ Draco started to leave when to the twins surprise, as well as his, turned back.

"Uh, thanks." He told them. Ron might be bad, but these Weasleys were ok.

Fred and George goggled at him. Was this what they were hearing? A MALFOY telling them thank you? They were dumbfounded. However, they politely told him he was welcome and then said that if he wanted to make the train to Hogwarts, he'd better hurry. Draco groaned. The train! He quickly nodded his head to the twins, and then proceeded out the door. After locating Kings Cross, Draco ran through the platform, and boarded the train. Not soon after walking down the hall he located Crabbe and Goyle. They stared at him through mouthfuls of sweets.

"Where were you?" Crabbe asked, sending a piece of jelly slug flying towards Draco. It landed on his robes. Staring at is disgustedly, Draco wiped it off.

"Shove it Crabbe; it's none of your business." He snapped. Crabbe frowned but shut his mouth. He knew better than to mess with Draco when he was angry. Draco meanwhile, settled himself on the seat, careful to get as far away from the two as possible. By now though, the aroma of the toffee was intoxicating. He slowly unwrapped the treat, and then plopped it into his mouth. The sugary sweet melted slowly, and Draco was enjoying savoring it. After he was done he threw away the wrapper. Nope, those Weasleys weren't half bad at all.

_**Meanwhile back at the shop….. **_

"He deserved it." George laughed.

"Filthy Snake. Hope it takes ages to wear off." Suddenly George coughed on his frog.

"Err, Fred?" he asked. Fred smiled goofily.

"Yeah?"

"Um, we never did get around to the counter curse…." He trailed off at Fred's shocked expression.

"We may have well ruined that boys life." He gaped.

"So? He deserves it." George retorted. Fred nodded his head, although still unsure.

"Well, we should get started on one, don't you think?"

George snickered, "Probably. Lets wait a few days though."

"Just imagine the look on his face when he wakes up…." Fred said dreamily.

"I'm imagining the look on Snape's face. He'll be the first to find out, aside from Draco."

The twins sighed happily and patted the bag of sweets.

"Thank Merlin for that timing too. We needed someone to try it on." George laughed.

"I know. Hey, put those back in the back. We can't have our other costumers having them." Fred said. George nodded his head and grabbed the bag of delicious sweets.

"Right, now what should we call them?" asked George. Fred thought about it.

"Switching sweets?" Fred offered. George rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"No, we need something more…blunt. Switching Sweets could mean switching anything. We need it to be more specific."

Fred scratched his head thoughtfully. "Gender Changing Toffees." He announced, proudly. George grinned wickedly and made a thumb up sign.

"Perfect." He agreed. Then the two burst out laughing. Malfoy was going to have one heck of a year….

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::: A/N: So what do you think? Should I continue it? I would like a LOT of feedback on this chapter, as it will be my first ever chapter fic, I usually just do one-shot songfics. So this is all a bit new to me. Just tell me what you think- what you liked, and what you didn't like about it. And I want to add that i love constructive criticism, but i don't appreciate flames. Also, future chapters might take a while, as i don't currently have the internet up and running on my computer (I'm on my grandmas now!!) But it should be fixed soon. Well, that's all. Please review!::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


	2. Chocolate Frogs and Mood Swings

**Hey everyone! Well, here it is! Sorry it took so long, I promise that the third one will be out a lot sonner. Hope ya like it!**

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**Ilovetom - Thank you  
  
Raiast- lol, hope I didn't take to long!  
  
Naraku's Phoenix- lol, thanks Glad you liked it!  
  
sappjody- Thank you  
  
emmablk1- hehehe, thank YOU most of all! You're the best BETA ever!  
  
Chantal J- Thank you so much!**

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_**Gender Changing Toffees:  
  
Chapter Two: Chocolate frogs and Mood Swings**_  
  
Draco sat miserably on the Hogwarts Express, staring dully out one of its many windows. Unfortunately it was a very bleak, gray, and rainy day out there. Drip… drip… drop… splat….splat… Raindrops thudded all on the train, lulling him nearly to sleep. It seemed that there was no end to the vast abyss of darkness. Draco yawned and stretched his arms a bit. You know, it was sort of depressing, really. He frowned._ What about the flowers? And the animals?_ Were they out there, getting soaked to death? And the Sun! What about the sun? You know, it wouldn't be half so bad out there if there was just the teeniest bit of sunshine peaking through the clouds. A single ray would do. But he felt certain that no rays were peaking through the incredibly thick clouds. They were suffocating the sun, quenching its warmth and light. Suddenly the handsome Slytherin clutched his stomach and grimaced. He felt like someone had just pricked him with a freshly sharpened quill, just above the navel. It bloody hurt. A rather odd, dull, numb sort of pain was slowly seeping its way through his belly. Draco couldn't help it- the pain was agonizing. He groaned and fell to the floor, clutching his stomach. Crabe and Goyle noticed and instantly crept down to try and help him.  
  
"You all right there, Draco?" Goyle asked, "You don't look like you're feeling all right." Draco groaned again and rolled over so that he was facing Goyle.  
  
" Ugh, I'm fine! I swear, I'm just feeling a bit ill; that's all." he lied. Goyle looked concerned.  
  
"It could be the train. Did you know, my mum gets sick on trains a lot? But usually a chocolate or two helps her feel better-"  
  
_Obviously, thought Draco. By the looks of it, his mum must be eating about fifty chocolate bars a day._  
  
"-do you want a chocolate?" Goyle finished. Draco rolled his eyes angrily and pulled himself up.  
  
"No, I do not want a bloody chocolate! And I'm feeling fine, thank you very much. Now stop pestering me!" he yelled. Goyle looked at him dejectedly, a bit hurt by Draco's harsh words. But he knew better to mess with the boy when he was in a fowl mood- which he certainly seemed to be in at the moment. Goyle was dumb, but not that dumb. Instead, he shut his mouth and proceeded to wolf down three or four chocolate frogs.  
  
After dusting himself off a bit, Draco sighed and turned back to his window. Back to the depressing bleakness. _Merlin, what was wrong with him?_ Sure, Goyle was being obnoxious, but he usually didn't mind his idiotic rambling so much. He was acting very peculiar. In fact, he felt very peculiar. His stomach felt like someone had hit him twice with a buldger and then proceeded to hex him till his guts spurted from his bellybutton. Perhaps it was something he ate. _What all had he had in Hogsmeade_? Well one or two butterbeers. Actually quite a few of them. Oh, and the Toffee. Briefly he wondered if it was the Toffee. But he quickly dismissed the idea. No toffee could make a person feel like their spleens had been torn in two. Perhaps some more food would dull the pain. He sighed and turned around to ask Crabe for a bag of Bertie Botts Every flavor beans.  
  
"Hey, Crabe, can you hand me a bag of Bertie Botts Every Favored Bans?" he asked politely. Politely and coolly. He was still a bit sore that Crabe and Goyle had seen him fall to the floor, like some baby. He loathed it when he had a moment of weakness. Crabe shook his head and gestured over to several empty bean bags.  
  
"Sorry mate- all out. Want anything else?" Draco rolled his eyes. _Of course, the two had already pigged out on all the good stuff.  
_  
"Got any Acid Pops?" he reluctantly asked- he had really wanted that damn bag of beans.  
  
"Sorry, all out of them too." Crabe apologized. Draco sneered at him, suddenly furious.  
  
"Got anything at all that you two haven't eaten? For Merlins sake, I've never seen two people, two bloody people, wolf down as much as you two have right now!"  
  
Crabe glanced at him, a bit hurt. _What was up with Draco?_ Not that the boy wasn't ever nice to him, but usually he tried to stay off their large bulk. It was a very sensitive subject for the two husky boys. He shrugged his shoulders. Maybe he had another row with his dad- Crabe wouldn't be surprised.  
  
"Err, we've got two Chocolate Frogs left. Want one of them?" he asked, handing Draco the small box. Draco stared at it a while, then finally took it. It was better than nothing. Then, slowly he opened the box. A small brown frog jumped out of it. Draco watched it. The frog chirped at him, then blinked its eyes. That made Draco smile, it looked sort of cute. He watched as it roamed around on his knee. Then it stared at Draco for a moment, before hopping down to the floor. Draco picked it up lovingly- yes, that's right, lovingly, and set it down on his knee. The chocolate cocked its head at him, chirped again and sort of cooed at him. Then things got really weird. Draco, whom had never once in his life had a pet to love, began to pet the frog. Chocolate got all over his hands, but he didn't seem to mind in the least. Goyle rolled his eyes, clearly baffled by his friends odd behavior. What really annoyed him though, was that Draco was wasting a perfectly good frog.  
  
"Well, if your not going to eat it- I sure bloody will." he said, scooping up the little froggy and biting off its head. Draco gaped and stared at him, utterly horrified.  
  
"What the bloody hell do you think your doing, you pig!?!" he screamed, lunging at Goyle. Goyle swallowed the frog and leaned back so Draco couldn't reach him.  
  
"Hey, calm down mate, it was just a Chocolate Frog. Here, here's another one." He said, and handed Draco the last package. Draco stared it, tears welling up in his gray eyes.  
  
"It only had one good jump in him! IT NEVER GOT TO HAVE ITS ONE GOOD JUMP! Because you ate him! Why did you eat him? He was a little innocent frog! What did he ever do to you?" he sputtered furoiusly. Goyle and Crabe stared at each other.  
  
"Err, come on Draco. You can have this one." Crabe offered the last frog again. Draco slapped it out of his hands, sending it across the room.  
  
"NO! I will not eat an innocent creature you fat, pigheaded little MONSTER! That frog did absolutely nothing to you! But you ate it! How would feel, if someone packaged and ate you without a second thought? Huh? How would you feel!" he cried.  
  
"Well, I suppose I've never thought of it that way…." Crabe responded, trying to soothe Draco down. Unfortunately, it did not have the desired effect. When riled up, Draco Malfoy could not be soothed down.  
  
"That's right, you fat ball of lard- you DIDN'T think! I mean, you could have in the very least let him have his last jump! Are you really that cruel and inhumane? IT STILL HAD ONE LAST GOOD JUMP IN HIM!" he accused, waving his arms about. Crabe was horrified. He watched as Dracos eyes welled up with tears and he collapsed into his seat, sobbing.  
  
What the-? Crabe thought. Draco had curled up into a small ball and was rocking back and forth. Crabe and Goyle were mortified. What the heck was going on? Why was Draco acting like this? It was beyond their teeny brains to comprehend. They sat and watched as their friend, a person who they extremely admired, sobbed his eyes out. It was very un-nerving.  
  
"What should we do?" Goyle asked after a while.  
  
"I dunno. Try and comfort him?" Crabe suggested. Goyle's eyes widened and he shook his head rapidly.  
  
"No, that would just get him angrier. For Merlin's sake, it was only a candy frog!" he gaped. Meanwhile. while Goyle and Crabe were wondering what they should do; Draco was drying his eyes.  
  
"Draco…. It was just a stupid bit of candy, ok?" Crabe tried to tell him as the teary-eyed Slytherin stood up and headed for the door.  
  
"That's just what I would expect to hear from a ball of candy like you! Now, I'm leaving! If I can't sit and have a civilized conversation with my 'friends' then I'm not setting with them at ALL!" he declared. He was so angry that he could have killed them both on the spot. Then, before they could say anything he left. The two watched, dumbfounded, as Draco slammed the door behind him.  
  
"What was THAT all about?" Crabe finally asked, breaking the awkward and uncomfortable silence.  
  
"I don't know. Bloody hell, he was crying over a chocolate frog!" Goyle added. Both shook their heads.  
  
"Hey, Crabe, think I can have that last one chocolate?" Goyle asked a bit uncertiantly. Crabe nodded and Goyle picked up the sweet from its spot on the floor where Draco had thrown it. As he unwrapped it, Crabe muttered something.  
  
"Whats that?" Goyle asked. Crabe frowned and gestured to the door.  
  
"Just saying that if I didn't know better, I'd say it was _PMS_ or something…"  
  
Both boys cracked up at that one- the mere thought of Draco having _PMS_ was too hilarious to bear.

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Draco thudded down the hallway, his coat flowing behind him as walked past all the compartment doors. _What had just happened in there?_ He frowned and sank to the floor next to the nearest compartment. It was like he was going mad… could he be going mad? He rested his head on a nearby compartment and closed his eyes. He was acting like some child. _What had he said?_  
  
_**'it only had one good jump in it'?**_  
  
Oh Merlin. _He was going mad_. Really, he was considering the idea. Or was it just his stomach bothering him? Actually, now that he thought about it, it didn't feel too bad now. If he hadn't of known how bad it had hurt earlier, he would have sworn that it was fine. What was going on? Besides the fact that his stomach had mystery healed and that he, Mr. Perfectly Cool, had just cried over a bloody Chocolate frog. The world was going upside down.

He felt sure that if he asked someone, they would tell him that Harry Potter had become flamboyantly gay and married Ron Wesley. Or that Granger had suddenly taken a huge dose of beauty potion and become decent looking. He chuckled slightly. Yep, that would be the day. Suddenly the door he was supporting himself on slid inward and Draco fell flat on his back. It took him a moment or so to gather his bearings- he had hit his head bloody damn hard! 

Finally he realized that he was staring at a pair of shoes- several pairs in fact. Slowly, he lifted up his head- only do lay it lack down again. Why? WHY? Of all the bloody compartments to fall into, why theirs? Hermione Granger stared down at him like a huge Dragon towering above its small (defenseless) prey. She glared at him and reached instinctively for her wand. Draco gulped.  
  
"Draco Malfoy, what exactly do you think your doing?" she asked in her prissy- know -it- all- voice.  
  
Draco smirked, and replied tartly, "Well, isn't it perfectly obvious? I'm laying on the floor of your compartment." His words received their desired effect. Hermione looked flustered and scowled at him. He could have sworn her bushy brown hair was even starting to smoke…  
  
"Think you're funny, do you? I meant 'how' you came about to be where you are." she retorted icily. Damn… he was going to have think quick…  
  
"Err, well, I believe that I was walking near here when I fell on your compartment, and then you so rudely opened your door, leaving me to fall helplessly on your floor." Draco replied, spinning the story as he went on. Thank Merlin that the Malfoys could be excellent liars when they wanted to be. Besides, no way was he going to give Granger the satisfaction of knowing the truth- saying that might just make her day. She eyed him skeptically for a few minutes before accepting his explanation. While she pondered, Draco took a moment or two to survey the other members inside.  
  
_Ha! Loony Lovegood. Weasel one, ewh- Weasel Two,… and oh my gosh, is that Neville? And is he holding hands with Weasel number two?_ He grinned. _Wonder if Ron sees?_ Unfortunately, Ron did just happen to glance at their hands.  
  
"Ginny?" he asked incredulously. The readhead blushed and slid her hand from Neville's.  
  
"Err…." was all she could manage to say. Ron turned beet red and preceded to chew out Neville. Draco chuckled (earning him a hateful glare from Hermione). Perhaps things were heating up a bit.  
  
"How can you? My SISTER? For Merlin's sake Neville, that's my sister!" Ron screamed. Neville bit his lip. You could tell he was trying to work up a good excuse.  
  
"Um… we were just talking… right Gin?" he asked Ginny with a meaningful look. Wow. Wonderful lie. Could charm a dragon, that one could. Unfortunately the boy lacked Draco's gift of deception. He watched, amused as Ginny nodded her head enthusiastically. She made it out as if that were completely true- which everyone could plainly see that it wasn't.  
  
"Yeah…talking." she confirmed. Ron didn't buy it. Only smart decision the boy ever made in his life.  
  
"Talking? Yeah right. And Gin?!? Neville, since when did I allow you to call my little sister Gin?!? I don't believe that I ever gave you permission!" Ron raged, throwing up his hands in exasperation. Draco chuckled.  
  
"Lay off him Ron! Why just the other day I saw you and Hermione snogging your heads off in the dormitory!" Ginny accused, turning the subject on him. Is this true? Mudblood snogging Weasel? Draco glanced at Hermione, and was amused to see that she had turned a bright shade of scarlet.  
  
"Well… well, I'm older than you! And Ginny, for Merlin's sake, we're going out! You and Neville …." Realization dawned on Ron's face in the form of scarlet anger. "What? WHAT?!? Ginny, please tell me that you aren't going out with him!" He yelled. Frankly, Draco expected him to start foaming from the mouth at any moment.  
  
_Damn. Now poor Harry will have to revel in his abnormal gay love for Ron alone, Draco thought._  
  
"So Granger. Finally decided that you're ready to lower yourself to the level of the Weasel? I'm shocked. I thought that you were so much smarter than that. But, I suppose that trash and trash go along together, right?" He smirked. Hermione turned to him, her bushy hair- wait. Her hair wasn't bushy anymore, it was… wavy. Her eyes flashed at him.  
  
"Who the bloody hell do you think you are Malfoy? What business of yours is it who I date?" she told him, through gritted teeth. The room went silent. Ron momentarily forgot about his sisters love affair with the schools very own village idiot and stared openmouthed at Hermione, and himself. Meanwhile Draco was feeling very irritated. Who was she to talk to him like that?  
  
"Oh, don't think I don't care. I do, really. After all, its not everyday that you see two people so disgusting, so undesirable, so screwed up come together. I think it's a historical event. Potty, please, tell me you have a camera! I want to install this moment in my memory forever. Oh, and Granger, don't grind your teeth. It makes your unpleasant face, even more disturbing to look at. Very unflattering." He told her. Despite the anger rising in his head from her earlier comment, he managed to keep himself cool and casual. Another wonderful Malfoy trait. However, some people don't appreciate Dracos unique gift… people like Hermione for instance. Hermione hissed at him, much like a cat would to a dog. Very unladylike, Draco mused to himself. Ron began to look very nervous.  
  
Draco's eyes narrowed as Hermiones love-bird came to her defense. Or rather, tried to. Ron walked up to her, and threw his arm about her shoulder.  
  
"Shove it Pretty Boy. No one here cares about your crap. So take it somewhere else. Preferably up your arse." He said in a very fake-casual voice. Draco just laughed. It was a bit forced though. Weasel had hit a nerve. No one calls Draco Malfoy 'Pretty Boy' and gets away with it.  
  
"Oh, I'm so scared!" He mocked. "And obviously, someone cares," he gestured to Hermione, "Or your little girlfriend here wouldn't be so upset. Please, do tell me that you two aren't planning on having any children in the near future. We have enough filth in this school, without you adding to it. Merlin knows your children would be screwed from the off. With her attitude and looks, and your intelligence- or rather lack of- why, I almost feel sorry for the poor creatures. Please, if it ever does happen… shoot the kids and put them (as well as the rest of the Wizzarding community) out of its misery. Hey, why not just end it all now? I'm sure we'll all be much better off without you, right? Well, except Potty. He might cry a bit. But then, Potty's used to crying, right? Went off and killed his Godfather, didn't he? Oh…and if it weren't for him, wouldn't his parents be alive?" Draco clicked his tongue. "You know, if it weren't for your looks and fitly blood… I just might be interested Granger. To bad though. Such a waste of smarts. Clearly, your parents weren't thinking when they conceived you, were they? An accident, were you? Well, you certainly look like one. Should have killed them to…" However, Draco never got to finish his cruel speech. Ron, whom had been holding Hermione back for most of this time, could no longer do so. She broke free from his grasp and ran towards Draco, and slapped him. The loud echoing SMACK! could be heard by every member in the room. Draco winced and put his hand to his already red cheek. He tried to stop it, but he could feel his eyes already watering. Then he looked at Hermione. Her hair was flying in all directions, her eyes wild and suddenly blood shot. She looked like Bloody Hell. And that scared Draco. There was a glint in her eye that he had seen only once before- when she had hit him in their third year. But this was worse. Much worse. Hermione was shaking with uncontrollable anger. He winced as she took another step toward him.  
  
"You think your something else, don't you Pretty Boy? Your crap don't stink? Face it Malfoy, your act is getting old. Its really loosing its desired effect. Your just pushing the same shit in a different colored wrapper, that's all. Hey, get this. Oh, your going to love hearing this. You know, Voldemort, right? The guy your Daddy works for? Well, get this: Your precious little Voldie, is a Half-blood. Yes, you heard me right, HALF-BLOOD. His dad left him when his mum told him her about being a witch and all. Then, she died giving birth to the bastard. Sound familiar? Guess not. Well, let me continued. So little Voldie, so ashamed of his dirty past decided to change his name, right? From Tom Marvalo Riddle to Lord Voldemort. Hey, you know what's really neat? Tom Marvalo Riddle is an anagram of I Am Lord Voldemort. Funny, huh? Everything you've been taught about the purity of blood is a lie. All of it. The very man you worship is no more than a filthy Mudblood. Ironic, isn't it? Oh, and your Daddy knows too. They all know. Of course, you don't though. Want to know why? Because your just another pawn in Voldemorts sick game. Your father would kill you if it were asked of him- you know that too. As for your referring to my parentage… take a peek at yours. Your Mum was quite the whore in her day, wasn't she? For all you know you might just have some dirty blood in you yourself. She only married your father because they wanted to keep the 'pure' blood flowing. Or, that's what she says. I'm sure he just got her knocked up, and you know, married her because it was the 'right thing to do'. She doesn't even love you, does she? That's why you pick on me. Because you're lonely. You don't have any real friends, do you? Except the two blokes your Daddy pays to pretend to like you, right? You're only mean to Harry because your jealous of him. He took all your precious glory, didn't he? The Boy Who Lived is more famous then the Slytherin Prince. Is that it? Your parents talk about him more than they do you. Let me ask, do they ever ask about how your day was? No. I bet they ask what Harry Potter did today, and what Harry Potter got into trouble for. You build your whole life on beating Harry. What kind of a pathetic life is that? You're low Malfoy… You try to gain Daddy's love, but he's to busy hating Harry. Harry's got everything you've ever wanted. Friends… fame… even people who love him. Your just a piece of trash Malfoy. You don't know Voldemort, you don't know me, and you don't know Harry. You, who are so quick to judge, and so quick to hate… have never been loved in your life. What? You're thinking Pansy loves you? Malfoy, the slutt's screwed half of Hufflepuff… you're sleeping with a whore. And you know what else? I believe that, deep down, you know this. You hide behind your mask of perfection and hate, to cover your pain. Take away the mask and you just have a scared little boy who strives for his father's love." Hermiones finished her speech just as coolly as she started It.  
  
Draco felt as if someone had knocked the wind out of him. He was desperately hurt in a place he had frozen long ago so it could be unreachable- his heart. With a few words Hermione Granger had done the impossible; shattered the non-existent heart of Draco Malfoy. She stared at him, her bottom lip quivering with rage, fright, sadness, regret… and sympathy. It was the sympathy that hurt the most though. He was supposed to be better than her. She wasn't supposed to feel sorry for him! Hermiones chocolate brown eyes filled with crystal-like tears that proceeded to flow down her flawless satin cheeks.

She expected him to say something. And Draco wished desperately to be able to say something witty or hurtful…anything. But for the first time in his entire life, Draco Malfoy was rendered speechless. He sank to the floor, his beautiful blonde hair entangled in his hands. He distantly heard the door close behind him. They were all in there now, comforting her. Loving her. You know what hurt the worst? Draco knew that every single word uttered from her delicate lips were true. Things he has kept hidden forever, buried and never meant to be found by even himself- she divulged in a matter of seconds. And in front of them to. In front of all the very people he despised. 

Memories flashed across his mind in a blur. His father missing his first steps… his mother forgetting his name when he was nine… his father beating him for loosing a Quidditch match to Harry… coming home in his fifth year to find that his mother had set out for Azkaban and left, without leaving a single note. Draco desperately wished that for one moment in his petty existence called a life, that he were Harry Potter. He held on to that thought, and cried. Tears spilled from his icy, cold, emotionless eyes onto his pale, unloved, hard cheeks. He began to rock back and forth, trying to find a bit of comfort to hang onto. There was none. How could he go from the top of the world, to the bottom of the earth? He felt like he was on a roller coaster of emotions. Happy, sad, angry… _What the hell is wrong with me? Why am I acting this way?_ He suddenly felt the desperate need for a confidant.

_What the hell am I doing?_ He asked himself. If only his father could see him now… a little boy crying in a corner. He felt filthy. He had shown weakness to the worst person imaginable- his enemy. He was weak. He stood up, eyes flashing. He would get her back for this- oh you could bet he would. Images flashed across his mind of killing her, making her cry, and torturing her. Oh, he would get her back for this. Yes, he would. Draco grinned insanely. "Ill get you Granger!" he screamed to the empty and hallow hallway. Then he laughed. It was sort of funny. He would make her, perfect little Granger PAY. He walked back to his compartment, a look of triumph on his face. After a good nights sleep, he would be back to normal. Then he could plot.

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::::::::::::::::::::::: A/N: So, what do ya think? Good, bad? Was the last bit there to seroius? Tell me what ya think! I really want a lot of feedback here. And im so sorry it took so long to get up here- with school, and some current computer problems... well, im sorry. The third chapter is nearly done though, and i think ill have it up by next weekend. Read/Review!::::::::::::::::::::::: 


	3. Diana's Delemia

Sorry it has been so long since my last update! I had been terribly busy with school. And then my computer went down. And then I'm ashamed to admit that I forgot completely about it! But after reading the Half-Blood Prince I thought about writing again. And my BETA, emmablk1 persuaded me to write more. So here it is, the long awaited chapter. And I do plan to keep writing. I already have ideas worked for chapter five and have begun chapter four. Enjoy!  
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Chantal J - Thank you so much!

dan4me - Sorry it took so long! Hehe, yeah I loved writing Hermione's speech. I was feeling particularly angry at the moment and took it all out on poor Draco.

Naraku's Phoenix- Wow. Reading that made me realise that the last time I updated was almost a year ago! I feel terrible.0

emmablk1- And thanks most importantly to you! You got me to writing again J You're the bestests!

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Gender Changing Toffees

Chapter Three: Diana's Dilemma

It was dark on the Quidditch pitch, save for a long figure on a broomstick. Draco Malfoy smiled blissfully and sped up his broom. The wind softly tossed his silky blonde hair about his face and his deep gray eyes shown with an amount of happiness that Draco had never felt before. The feel of the wind sliding past him, the smell of the damp dark night, and the blanket of dark around made him feel at peace. He was one with the world, at that moment. Suddenly his broom was roughly jerked. He turned around to see Harry Potter laughing mockingly behind him. I'll show you, thought Draco. He grabbed his wand, which he just now remembered to be holding. Before he could act however, a buldger hit him square in the chest. He teetered a bit on his broom. There was blood pouring from his wound. He stared at his chest in utter terror. Apparently the buldger had gone straight through him. And on the buldger, shiny and wet was a heart. A black and shriveled heart. Looking at it filled Draco with an unimaginable horrific realization. It was Draco's heart. It had been knocked out. He turned around, horrified. However, instead of seeing Harry's mocking face as he expected, he saw Hermione's. She laughed at him.

"Hey Pretty Boy. Like that?" She asked him. Draco tried to call out at her, tried to scream at her and hurt her like she had so obviously hurt him. But whenever he opened his mouth blood gushed from it, preventing him from saying anything. He closed his eyes to prevent tears of frustration from leaking from them. When he reopened them their scenery had shifted: they were now in the great hall. And Hermione stood before Draco like an ethereal angel. Her wavy brown hair hung loosely about her shoulders. Draco gasped. She seemed to be wearing some sort of white silk- she was wrapped delicately in it. If Draco had ever in his live seen anything more beautiful, he could not recall. Slowly he looked up into her face. Her lips were parted in a small smile as if to say "Surprised?" Draco wanted nothing more than to touch those delicate lips with his own. Then he gazed into her chocolate brown eyes. He felt a jolt of surprise. They were staring deep into his own. He felt breathless.

"H-Hermione?" he asked. The Angel nodded her head, and smiled. It was a perfect, beautiful, delicate smile that captivated Draco. The goddess beckoned for him to come to her. Like in a trance, Draco followed her. Their faces were now inches apart- he could feel her warm breath on his neck. She bent her head to his, and then the most wonderful thing happened. She brushed a kiss on his cheek. Her lips barely grazed his skin, but Draco nearly fainted. It was like having a butterfly land on your face. A gorgeous, un-humanlike butterfly. He clung to her, afraid that if he let go the world would cease to exist. Then-

Draco Malfoy groaned and set upright in his bed. He had a pounding headache and had just had the strangest dream. For a second it was there, vivid in his memory then… he lost it. He couldn't remember it at all. Only that he had been scared- then he had been deliriously happy. Draco wiped at his eyes groggily- only barely noticing that his lashes seemed longer than usual- and the dream was forever erased from his mind. Frowning slightly he laid back down and tried to go back to sleep. But sleep just wouldn't come to him. He felt very… queer. Almost as if someone had made his body disproportionate to itself. Not to mention his hair felt heavier. And…longer? No, definitely not. Draco sighed with frustration and sat up in bed. What time is it? He wondered. He frowned and stared at the alarm clock near his bed. It read 6:15 AM. Damnit it. Of all the bloody days to get up early he got up on a Saturday. Oh well. He did need to use the bathroom and he was sure that with it being so early, no one would be there. That was a consolation. What was it with his bladder anyways? Had it shrunken recently? Merlin, this really was his day, wasn't it? He sighed and heaved himself from the bed, nearly falling down as he did so. He shook his head in confusion. His balance seemed to be off. After a quick sleepy shrug of the shoulders he stopped to throw on a pair of slippers- the floor was freezing. Then after he fumbling around in the dark for a few minutes, Draco managed to locate the bathroom. He took out his wand and walked in gingerly. Sometimes the Slytherin's would use the place as a snogging hideout.

"Lumos" he murmured.

Light pooled into the room. Draco checked every corner before deciding it was clear. Not that he was a prude or anything but well… even Draco liked his privacy. He locked the door and lifted the toilet seat. Then pulled down his pants and proceeded to do his business as usual. Except, something wasn't usual. Not at all.

Draco's scream echoed through all of the hallways in Hogwarts.

"Bloody hell! What in the name of Merlin?" Something was seriously wrong here. VERY seriously wrong. Draco's eyes were roughly the size of tennis balls. There was nothing more shocking to a man to wake and discover… well, discover what just he had. Suddenly, acting on an impulse, Draco ran to the mirror. A small yelp escaped his lips. Instead of the usual reflection staring at him, a more feminine one had taken its place. His eyes widened. Long blonde wavy hair cascaded down to just an inch or two below his shoulders. A pair of frightened gray eyes stared back at him- They were the only familiar features on his face. Everything else was alien to him. Thick black eyelashes sprouted from his eyelids. And his skin- his flawless skin was smoother, and lighter. Draco paled. What in the world was going on? He felt his shirt. He had breasts! For the love of Merlin, someone better be playing a sick joke. What in the world was he supposed to do? Draco took a deep breath and thought it all over. Well, he supposed that the only rational thing would be to tell a teacher. And Snape was the only teacher he still trusted. So, that was it he thought with half disbelief. He would tell Snape.

Draco cursed under his breath as he headed for Snape's office. Due to his apparent lack of female clothes he was wearing an robe of Pansy's she left in his dorm a week or so ago. He hugged his chest angrily and picked up his pace. How could girls stand these 'things' ? They were bouncing all over the place! As if the trouble of his bouncing breasts wasn't enough, a few males whom were out for an early breakfast were starting to goggle at him. Draco glared at them and quickened his pace. He sighed with relief as he finally reached Snapes' office. After a deep breath he opened the professor's door.

Snape sat in his desk, like his did in class. A mountain of paperwork covered nearly the entire thing and Draco assumed that he was grading the tests from their last potion exam. Bracing himself for what was to come, Draco approached the messy desk.

"Hello? Professor Snape?" He/she asked. Snape glanced at him/her over his paperwork.

"What is it Miss…." he was obviously waiting for her to finish.

"Err….Malfoy, Sir." Draco feebly replied. Snape sneered in disbelief.

"What? Malfoy? Come closer and explain yourself girl!" Snape hissed. Draco flinched slightly and took another small hesitant step to Snape's desk. He didn't know where to begin.

"Um… its me, Malfoy. I err… I sort of woke up like this and I- uh… I don't know to do. I don't know what's happening. I went to the bathroom and…and I didn't know who else to tell!" he confessed to his shocked, and considerably pale teacher. Snape stared at him.

"If you really are Malfoy- as I suspect you are not- then, please tell me what you made on your past potions exam, and why." Draco shuffled his feet and turned a slight shade of scarlet.

"Um, an A+ because I successfully dropped an eye of Newt into Weasleys potion and ruined it-"

"That's enough." Snape said sharply. He stared at Draco curiously. There were no signs of an appearance charm having been done. And it certainly wasn't dark magic. Obviously he wasn't going to able to fix this. Whatever it was, it was beyond his expertise. There was only one thing he could do. With a small sigh he met Draco's eyes.

"Malfoy, I will be honest with you. I don't know what happened to you. And I certainly don't know how to fix it. But there is one thing I can think of for us to do. Dumbledore might be able to help-" At this Draco began to protest. But Snape held up his hand and Draco stood in a sullen silence. "As I was saying. Dumbledore is a very skilled wizard. And in this situation, the only person whom I think can help. You will follow me to his office and we will see then what has happened to you."

Draco sighed as Snape got up from his desk and beckoned Draco to follow him. He wondered if Dumbledore could actually help.

Draco bit his lip anxiously. What were they all talking about in there? He'd been waiting outside Dumbledore's office for at least an hour. He hoped that they were coming up with a solution. Suddenly the door opened inward, and Snape gestured him in. Hesitantly Draco stepped into the Headmaster's Office. Dumbledore sat at his desk, a slightly amused expression on his face.

"Have a seat Miss. - er - Mr. Malfoy." Dumbledore said, gesturing to a chair very near to his own. Wincing slightly at being called "miss" Draco sat down and waited for Dumbledore to talk. He did not have to wait long.

"Mr.Malfoy, it comes to my understanding that you have… changed considerably overnight without the slightest idea of how you came to be in your present form. Is that true?" he asked.

"Yes, Sir." Draco replied promptly. The wizards on the walls of Dumbledore's office were pointing and snickering at him. He blushed a shade of crimson and stared at his shoes.

"You cannot think of a single thing that could have caused this?" He asked, his old eyes twinkling merrily. Draco rolled his eyes. He could not stand Dumbledore looking at him like that.

"If I did, I wouldn't be here, now would I?" he tartly told him. Snape glared at him from over Dumbledores shoulder for speaking to the headmaster in such a way, but Draco didn't care.

"Well, very fortunately for you, we do. I believe that you ate a toffee from a certain joke shop yesterday at Hogsmeade?" he inquired.

Draco sighed, wondering where this was going. Surely the toffee had nothing to do with it? "Yes. It was from the Weasels- er, Weasleys shop."

"Yes, I thought so. Well, Mr.Malfoy, you are in quite a predicament right now. As it happens that wasn't just any toffee. It was a Gender Changing Toffee. An experimental treat from Fred and George's shop. I'm sure you can imagine what it does to the eater." Dumbledore said, pausing for a moment to let the words sink into Draco. Draco was stunned. The Weasleys! How dare they, the mudblood loving, in-bred, stupid…he was at a loss of other words to call them. He glared at Dumbledore.

"You mean they did this to me? I want to kill them! And after I thought they were so nice, why when I get my-" Dumbledore cut the angry boy/girl off with a wave of his hand.

"Yes, yes. I'm sorry to say that they are just now working on the antidote. We don't know exactly how long this will take to make, and until we do we must make alternate arrangements for you. We are going tell the school that you have been enrolled into a foreign exchange program to Salem's School of Sorcery in America. You will pretend to be the person from that school. No one will know the difference. They will all think that Draco Malfoy has gone to America. Well, with one exception-" he paused as the door opened yet again and a slim, attractive brunette walked in.

"What was it you wanted to see me for Pro-" Hermione Granger broke off quickly as she noticed Draco. For a brief instant he thought he saw recognition spread across her face. But a second later it was gone and she had turned back to Dumbledore.

"Headmaster?" she asked. But before Dumbledore could answer Draco interrupted with his own question for Dumbledore.

"What is she doing here?" he asked angrily, pointing at Hermione. Hermione in turn looked very shocked, and slightly hurt.

"I'm sorry. Have I offended you?" she asked. Her eyes narrowed and Draco could see a spark of annoyance in her face.

"Yes, as a matter of a fact you have. Being in your mudblood presence is enough to offend anyone." he replied hotly. Hermione bit her lips to prevent herself from replying harshly to him. She took a deep breath. And when she opened her mouth and spoke it was in a calm voice.

"So you are one of them. Well then I hope I won't be in your presence any longer than necessary." She turned away from Draco and looked at Dumbledore expectantly. Draco meanwhile was baffled. She hardly flinched at him calling her a mudblood! Dumbledore took the moment to cough slightly to get their attention.

"Miss Granger, I would like to take the opportunity to introduce you to Mr. Malfoy." he gestured to Draco. "He has been quite rude to you and will apologize for that later. At the moment we have other things to deal with." he told her. Hermione stared open mouthed at Draco in disbelief.

"Sir?" she asked meekly. Dumbledore smiled and motioned for Hermione to have the seat next to Draco's. She paused to stare at Draco once more before setting down. As her back was turned, Draco took the opportunity to sign a very rude hand gesture behind her. Which although was unnoticed by Dumbledore, was certainly noticed by Snape. He narrowed his eyes at Draco in warning. Dumbledore smiled merrily at the two sullen teens.

"Ah yes. Well, I think I must explain. Draco has eaten a toffee that was more than it appeared to be. The toffee was bought at Fred and George Weasley's joke shop. It's desired effect was obviously to switch the consumer's gender. Hence why Mr. Malfoy here was changed into a female. Now this is where you come in Miss. Granger. Unfortunately, there is no known antidote to this spell. And since you have top marks in potions -and the reversal spell would obviously have to be a potion- we need your help. Severus here will not be able to assist you, as he has some rather important business to do for me. You, with the assistance of the Weasleys will work on the antidote. Now I'm sure your thinking about what we will do until then. Of course, Draco must go under an assumed identity. We have decided that he is to be a foreign exchange student from Salem's Sorcery School in America. He will undoubtedly, of course be under your control. He will be sorted into Gryffindor, as so he can stay with you. Now Miss. Granger you are to tell no one, by any means about this. Do you understand?"

Hermione, who looked shocked by the whole thing took a few short shallow breaths to calm herself then thought about the idea. "Yes, Sir."

"And Draco, since you will be spending your time with Miss. Granger-"

"Wait! Why do I have to be with her? Can't I be in Slytherin?" He protested. Dumbledore chuckled at him, infuriating Draco even more.

"Mr. Malfoy, that is out of the question. Putting you in Slytherin would leave you without a confidant. I am fully aware that you and Miss. Granger are not the best of friends. But she is a girl, and since she already knows about your situation we think it would be best for you to stay with her. We want as few people to know about this as we can. I am sure you don't want your father or any of your friends to know about your current form. Therefore, you have to be with Miss. Granger at all times. You will both share a dorm, as well as your house. Until the antidote is made, I'm afraid that will remain the case. Do you understand me?"

"Yes." Draco replied sulkily. Dumbledore smiled.

"Wonderful! Now, I think you shall be called Diana. Is that all right with you? It is a very respectable name as it is shared by the Roman Goddess of the moon and hunt. Now, as we speak your things, and new clothes have been moved to your dormitory with Miss. Granger. I would also like to ask that any questions you have about your 'condition' you may ask her about. Being a female, I'm sure she has the adequate answers." Dumbledore said. Draco and Hermione both nodded their heads dully, neither of them really believing that this was happening. Briefly Draco wondered what 'conditions' the Headmaster was talking about. Dumbledore dismissed the two with caution that this was all to be a secret, and Draco silently followed Hermione to their dorm. What a day. First I wake up with breasts, and now I'm following Little-Miss-Bitch herself to our dorm! Things can't get any worse, he thought miserably. But he was terribly wrong. Things could be much, much worse. 


	4. A day in the shoes of a woman

Thanks for my wonderful reviews I really appreciate getting them, they make my day.

**Jenny - _hehe, thanks!_**

**cheesie toasty****- _Awh, don't tell me your starting to feel bad for Draco? lol_**

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**Dumbledork****- _Thanks!_**

**jc- _lol, thanks!I had a bunch of fun writing that part too._**

**emmablk1****- _I WUVVVVVVVV YOU! You are THE best BETA!_**

**XXDarkest AngelXX****- _Hmm, good question. When I got the review I was like "OMG! Did I mess up?" lol. But no, since he is really a guy it won't make him gay. And he will eventually get to being a guy again, lol so don't worry about that._**

I wuv all of you!

**-Emmalee14**

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**Gender Changing Toffees Chapter Four:**

**A day in the shoes of a woman**

Draco Malfoy stared icily at the back of the slim brunette walking in front of him. Her wavy brown hair swished back and forth rapidly with her walk. He was furious. Of all the bloody people to put him with, why her? He was going to be sharing a dorm with a filthy little mudblood! And not just any mudblood. Granger. In Draco's eyes she was worse than all of the muggles in the world. People like her had no right to be in this school! He was still mentally bashing the young Gryffindor when he became aware that he was being watched. His head snapped back quickly to see who was staring at him. Behind him stood a group of Hufflepuff boys. They were all smiling and pointing in Draco's direction. Something had obviously caught their attention. The one nearest to the front of the group, a plump male who looked about in his 4th year, met Draco's eyes and winked. Draco gagged. He was being hit on by a Hufflepuff! He glared at the group of boys sighed a very rude hand gesture toward them. They just laughed at him and if Draco wasn't mistaken, he thought he hard a few whistles and an exclamation of "Feisty!" Just as he prepared to yell at them to get the bloody hell lost Hermione, whom he forgot was in front of him suddenly stopped and Draco walked right smack into her.

"Watch it mudblood!" he said angrily. But Hermione hadn't heard him. She was beaming and waving excitedly at two people who had just entered the great hall. Draco didn't even need to look closely to see who the pair was. He groaned. Of all the bloody people to see today! Why in Merlin's name did Potty and Weasel have to be here? He gritted his teeth as the two motioned for Hermione to join them at the Gryffindor table. Hermione seemed to pause and think about it. But after glancing dismissively at Draco, she decided to join them. As she started to walk over to their table Draco rolled his eyes. Should he go over there with her? He thought about it and decided that it just might be interesting. After all, Potty and Weasel had no idea who he was. He might be able to have some fun with that. With a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth he followed Hermione to the Gryffindor table. Once there he had the option of deciding to set. He didn't want to appear as if he was there by his free will, so he sat down next to Hermione so that he was at the end of the table. Harry looked as if he had just woken up- which he probably had- and said good morning to Hermione then savagely took a bite of sausage. Ron however seemed flustered and slightly annoyed and, Draco noticed, had not touched his toast.

"Where have you been all morning?" asked Ron, "We waited in the Common Room forever, but you never showed up." Annoyance flickered briefly across Hermione's' face but it was instantly gone. She smiled and grabbed a bagel.

"Dumbledore had some business he needed me to attend to. A new student needed to be showed around." she explained, casting a warning glance at Draco as if to remind him to keep his mouth shut. As if he needed reminding. She reached for the blueberry jam and started to smear it on her bagel. Draco felt his mouth begin to water. He hadn't eaten anything all day. After glancing at the table to see what all was left, he decided on three glazed doughnuts. Simple yet deliciously satisfying. He reached over and grabbed three and began munching on them. At that moment Harry and Ron noticed Hermione's companion.

"Who, her?" Harry asked without much interest. Hermione sighed and put down her uneaten bagel.

"Well, yes. Harry, Ron, meet Diana. She is a foreign exchange student from America. Dumbledore wanted me to show her around and get her acquainted with the school." she explained. Harry merely shrugged his shoulders. And helped himself to a plate of three waffles. Obviously he wasn't too enthusiastic about the new student. Ron however looked as if Christmas had just came early.

"Really? You don't say." he asked happily, "Where are you from?"

"Salem's School of Sorcery in America" he replied quickly. Thankfully he remembered the name. Ron grinned at him and winked.

"Ah, I hear that's a very good school. And the people there are certainly… something." he said, blushing at the last bit. Draco felt like rolling his eyes. He had hoped that this would a bit more entertaining. He looked over at Hermione to see if she was ready to go. He would have left on his own but he had no idea where the Gryffindor common room was and had no desire to get lost on the way there. Hermione was biting her lip, obviously uncomfortable with the conversation they were having. Draco wondered why. He had a feeling that it wasn't just because their cover story was being questioned. Ron however, didn't notice. He was to busy staring at Draco in a very odd way that made the Slytherin feel quite uncomfortable. And suddenly Draco realized why Hermione seemed to uncomfortable. Ron fancied him! Draco bit back the urge to retch. He was starting to feel seriously ill. _Weasel has a crush on me,' he thought. _With the thought came another urge to barf. He glanced quickly at Hermione to see what she made of the situation. He wasn't surprised to see her shooting daggers at Ron with her eyes. But of course Ron was too busy staring at Draco to notice. And suddenly a delightfully wicked idea came to Draco's mind. If Weasel had a thing for him he might as well make the best of it. Smiling shyly he held out his hand to Ron. The boy looked thunderstruck for a moment before he took it.

"It is lovely to meet you Ron, just lovely. You are a handsome boy, do you happen to have a girlfriend?" he cooed. Hermione's jaw dropped and she stared horrified at Draco. Ron blushed and glanced at Hermione.

"Well, err, uh, yes. I do." he said. And much to Hermione's annoyance, he didn't add that it was her. She gritted her teeth and mentally kicked Ron. Draco looked crestfallen.

"Oh. How unfortunate." he pouted. Ron smiled sloppily.

"Yeah. Uh- no. I mean no." he corrected himself. Only it was too late. Hermione by now had had more than enough of Draco's act. She narrowed her eyes and turned to Ron.

"Ronald, if you don't mind Diana and I have some very important business to attend to. We don't have time to set around and chit chat." she said briskly. She stood up and wiped invisible crumbs off her robe. Then she grabbed Draco's elbow roughly and began to pull him away.

"Goodbye Harry." she said. Harry looked up at her and muttered something that might have sounded like 'goodbye' had his mouth not been full of apple pie. Ron just stared at Hermione, confusion written all over his face. Apparently he had no idea that he had just pissed Hermione off. Draco smirked happily and watched Hermione march towards the grand staircase. After waving goodbye at Ron, and looking extremely disappointed as he did so, he followed Hermione. It took him a while to catch up to her and when he did she didn't even turn around. She just kept marching up the stairs. This was fine with Draco, as he wasn't in the mood for conversation at the moment anyways. They continued in silence.

Once the two were over halfway up the staircase Hermione suddenly turned around sharply and glared at Draco.

"What in the name of Merlin did you think you were doing back there Malfoy?" she asked angrily. Draco smirked and held up his innocently.

"I don't know what your talking about." he said.

Hermione put her hands on her hips and glared at him, "You know exactly what you were doing. Why you think you can get away with toying with Ron and me is beyond me. It is not only cruel but completely immature." Draco rolled his eyes and put down his hands.

"Oh like it's my fault that your prick of a boyfriend fancies me. God Granger, maybe he's just sick of dating a mudblood." He shouldn't have said that. Hermione's eyes blazed and she pulled back her hand and then brought it down across Draco's face with more force than he would have imagined of her. _SMACK! _Draco winced and held his hand to his face. She had slapped him three times in his life now! His eyes widened and his hand groped around for his wand. But before he could reach it Hermione grabbed his wrist and held it firmly. For a girl of her size she was surprisingly strong.

"Don't you ever say anything like that again, do you hear me? Let me tell you something ferret boy, if I ever catch you pulling another stunt like that, you will remain as a female for the rest of your life. I don't have to make that potion correctly, understand?" she asked. Draco was about to reply tartly when she cut him off.

"If you say or do one more thing to make me angry I am going to tell Dumbledore that I can't work on this problem of yours. So unless you want to have breasts for the rest of your life, you better listen to me." she warned. For a second Draco almost challenged her. But he knew when he had the lower hand. So instead he stared sullenly over her shoulder. He might as well keep his remaining tattered dignity intact. Hermione glared at him again and released his arm. Then she turned around and started back up the staircase. Draco rubbed his wrist and proceeded to follow her.

It wasn't long before they stopped in front of a very large portrait of a very fat lady. Draco couldn't help but smile. So this was the entrance to the Gryffindor's Common Room, he thought. The Slytherin's was much cleverer. As if reading his mind, the Fat Last glanced at Draco with obvious distaste. Then she turned her head and smiled at Hermione.

"Password?" she asked serenely.

"Gillyweed" Hermione answered promptly. The Fat Lady tilted her head and smiled once more. Then she waved her hand gracefully and swung inward. Hermione glanced at Draco quickly before entering the room. With a quick shrug of his shoulder, Draco stepped in behind her.

As he walked into the room Draco was expecting to dislike it immediately. But he was surprised to see that the common room was very much like the Slytherin one he was used to. There was a fireplace cackling merrily, a notice board for events, two couches each with a coffee table in front of them in front of the fireplaces, several squashy armchairs spaced out in the room, a few spare chairs, eight large windows, and four small tables in the room for homework and wizard chess. However the main thing he noticed was the brightness of it all. The curtains were a deep shade of red, as well as the carpet. There also were portraits of various witches and wizards hanging on the walls- most of whom were sleeping at the moment. In addition to all this decoration there were also several large banners hung up on the walls. Some were signs for the Gryffindor Quidditch team, some were advertisements for Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes, and some were congratulations on birthdays or achievements. All of which the Slytherin common room either had exactly, or something similar to it. The main differences were that the Gryffindor room had a high spacious ceiling, lots of red and gold decorations, and a homey feeling that made Draco instantly comfortable. It was also considerably warmer, since the Slytherin common room lay under the lake. Although a soul in the world would never be able to drag it from him, Draco liked it. During his scrutiny of the room he happened to glance at Hermione. She smiled grimly at him as he caught her eye and walked over to the fireplace nearest to him. She then faced him, turning her back on it so that she was being warmed from behind. She was obviously not enjoying the moment. Finally after a brief awkward silence she turned to Draco.

"It is part of my duty to show you around the common room and dormitory. So, if you will look to the right of you on the wall you will see a large notice board. This is where you will find upcoming events posted, advertisements for odds and ends to trade or buy, as well as things like Quidditch practice dates and birthday announcements. You may stay in here in the common room until twelve am on weekdays and two am on weekends. After that everyone must go back to their dormitories and sleep. Directly in front of you is a double staircase. The right half leads to the girls dormitories and the left half to the boys. You might also want to make a mental note that although girls are able to walk up the boys staircase, the boys are unable to go up the girls. The stairs are enchanted so that if a boy tries, he will find that the stairs collapse under him to form a long stone slide leading the bottom. It explains in _Hogwarts; A History _that Godric Gryffindor thought girls to be more trustworthy than boys, hence the fact that the boys staircase is not enchanted. So I highly suggest that you refrain from taking any young males up into our dormitory." She smirked at the last bit before continuing, "On another note, you will be sharing a dormitory with me, Lavender Brown, and Parvati Patil. If you find these arrangements unsuitable then I suggest that you go over the matter with Professor Mcgonagall. Any questions?" she finished. Draco was still burning from her comment about bringing a boy into the dorm and couldn't think up a decent retort. Hermione waited in his silence, and as soon as Draco thought of something to say, she had her back turned and had begun up the staircase.

"Then I suppose that the only thing left for me to do is to show you to the dormitory. Follow me, it's this way." She motioned up the right staircase and continued walking up it. Apparently she wasn't going to leave any time for conversation, which was just fine with Draco. After glancing once more at the common room he followed Hermione up the stairs.

It didn't take long before they reached the dormitory. Hermione opened the door and stepped inside. As with the common room, the room was circular. Four four-post beds were propped against the wall. Each one was draped in dark red curtains elegantly. They also all had a large wooden trunk at the foot of them as well as an ok cabinet to their right. Six windows let light pour into the room and onto the floor. Draco also noticed that although the floor was wood, there was a large square rug in the middle of the floor. Although it was dark red, in the center of it was an embroidered roaring lion. If you looked at it for a certain way long enough you could swear you saw it roar. Beneath it in charmed golden letters read _"Sixth Year Girls Dormitory" _as Draco bent to examine the letters he noticed many more about the edges. They were the written names of all of the girls who had ever stayed in the dorm. Some of the names Draco even recognized. There was _'**Katie Bell' **_scribbled in gold near his right toe, and to the left of her… no. Draco couldn't believe it. But when he looked again, sure enough there was the name _'_Minerva Mcgonagall' pinned in neat girlish handwriting. For some reason he had always pegged her to have been in Ravenclaw. But, thinking on it, he realized that she was the Gryffindor house head. So it made more sense for her to be in Gryffindor. But still, it was hard to imagine her as once being a young girl. Suddenly another name caught Draco's eye. It was written in neat cursive right by the lions right ear. It read _'Lilly Evans' _Draco frowned. Where had he heard that name before? He thought maybe his father had mentioned her. Yes, that was it. She had opposed Voldemort so he had killed her. Personally as a matter of a fact. But then she had a different last name. There was something else… Draco couldn't remember. But she was important, he knew that. Shrugging his shoulders he stood up and glanced at the beds again. Which one was his? He looked over at Hermione- who was laying on her bed reading a book. He bet that she would know.

"Ahem" he coughed quietly to get her attention. Hermione just kept holding and reading her book. He tried louder.

"Ahem" he said. Hermione peaked at him over her book, obviously annoyed.

"I heard you the first time. What do you want?" she snapped. Draco pointed to the beds.

"Which is mine?" he asked. Hermione just rolled her eyes and pointed to the one next to hers on the left.

"The one with your name on the trunk." she replied sarcastically. And when Draco walked over to it he noticed that sure enough, his name was on the trunk. Well, Diana's name. And there was a letter on top of it. Draco picked up the folded parchment and opened it.

_Miss Diana Albert,_

_In the chest at the foot of your bed are all of the schoolbooks that you will be needing this year as well as some other basic essential items. In the cabinet beside your bed are several Gryffindor robes, undergarments, blouses, skirts, and other clothing items. And on your bed lay three complete outfits, one of which you will need to wear to dinner tonight where you will be officially announced to the school. If you are missing anything or would like to have anything else do not hesitate to ask. You are also required to a meeting with me tomorrow morning at eight am. We will discuss your schedule and I will answer any questions that you might have. In the meantime I expect you to treat your roommates with utmost respect and kindness, as I am sure that will be how they treat you. I expect you to be in my office at exactly eight. As you well know, I do not permit tardiness. Any other questions you have you may as Miss. Granger._

_-Minerva McGonagall_

_Professor of Transfiguration and Head of Gryffindor House_

Draco sighed and put the letter down. He knew that there would have to be an official introduction, but he had hoped it wouldn't be so soon. He was not looking forward to it. With a heavy face he opened his chest and peered inside. As promised, there were a stack of schoolbooks in the far corner. The other things creeped Draco out. There were six different colored hair ribbons, a book titled _Stylish Hairstyles for the Modern Witch_, two dress robes, a hair brush, several hair clips, a makeup case, two necklaces, three pairs of earrings, a mirror, some scarves, and several other odds and ends. It made Draco want to barf. So much girlish stuff! And the thought that he might have to use it. Ugh. Draco closed the lid with disgust and checked out the cabinet and bed. They also had the promised items on them. From the bed Draco picked out the first outfit he saw. It was a black skirt, white blouse, robe, black shoes, pair of white socks, a white hair ribbon, a pair of lady's underwear, and a bra. He felt disgusted. After glancing at Hermione- who still had her nose buried in a schoolbook, he marched to the bathroom to put in his attire.

He emerged forty minutes later, slightly flushed and embarrassed. It had taken him ten minutes to put on the bloody bra! If you asked any Slytherin female they would tell you that Draco Malfoy was an expert at taking off and unhooking bras. But putting them on was a completely different task, one that he found confusing and frustrating. He felt himself being stared at and turned around to see Hermione looking at him, her eyes wide and a smile on her face. Apparently she had started her homework for she had a quill in her hand and a piece of parchment in her lap.

"What?" he asked annoyed. Hermione bit her lip and shook her head. She was trying hard not to laugh. Draco was furious, what was she laughing at?

"What is it?" he asked loudly and angrily. Hermione took several deep breaths to calm herself and pointed at Draco's shirt.

"You have your shirt inside out. And your skirt is backwards." she giggled. Draco glanced down at his front and sure enough, she was right. He scowled and turned around sharply, heading for the bathroom. He needed to use it anyways. Once there he did his business, fixed his clothes, and stared in the mirror. He still wasn't used to his features looking so feminine. He brushed his fingertips across his cheek, feeling the smooth tight skin. He grimaced. The face in the mirror grimaced back at him. He sighed and looked at his hair. He would never get used to this. His hair was a bloody mess. It hadn't been brushed since his change. Picking up a random brush he began to get out the knots. He must have been in there for a while because he soon heard a loud banging on the door.

"What do you want?" he asked. The person on the other side sighed in exasperation.

"I need to use the bloody bathroom, what do you think?" Hermione asked. Draco sat down the brush, opened up the door and stepped out.

"Fine. But be quick. If I'm going to have to be a girl then I'm going to look decent." he said. Hermione didn't even respond, she just slammed the door behind her. She came out a few minutes later holding the brush that Draco had been using.

"Malfoy, this is Lavender's brush. You cannot go around using other peoples things!" she preached. Draco rolled his eyes.

"Excuse me for not knowing the rules of women." he said sarcastically. He then walked over to his trunk and took out the brush, makeup, and book on hairstyles that were in there. Hermione had sat down to read but was watching him out of the corner of her eyes. She saw him walk into the bathroom and peer at himself in the mirror. He then opened up the book he brought with him and began brushing his hair furiously. He was yanking it so hard that she was sure he was pulling out some of his hair. Sighing she got up and walked to the bathroom. She leaned casually on the door and looked at him. He looked back at her through the reflection.

"Your not doing it right." she pointed out. Draco rolled his eyes and glared at her.

"Is that your way of offering to help?" he asked. To his surprise Hermione smiled.

"I can't stand things not done correctly. Is that your way of asking for help Malfoy?" she countered. Draco found himself actually smiling slightly at his one.

"Maybe." he replied.

"Well, them maybe I was offering to help." she said. The pair's eyes caught and Hermione chuckled. "Yes, I guess I can help you." she offered. Draco handed her the brush. Hermione took it and surveyed Draco's hair. He could not believe he was letting a filthy mudblood do his hair. But desperate times called for desperate measures.

"Your going to have to set down on the toilet." she said. Draco looked at her with a 'what the fudge' expression on his face.

"Why?" he asked. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Because I need to be higher up than you. Your too tall. And don't ask why, just do it." she snapped. Draco sighed and sat on the toilet. Hermione then attacked his locks with the brush. Draco felt his eyes water as she pulled his hair back. Ten minutes later Draco Malfoy looked cute and perky, his hair pulled back into a tight, classy french braid. He smirked at his reflection, thinking that he looked quite nice for a girl. But Hermione was frowning.

"What?" he asked. She grabbed the makeup bag and pointed for him to set on the counter.

"You still need makeup on." she said. Draco crossed his arms across his chest and stood where was.

"What makes you think that I want your help?" he asked snottily. "I don't need a mudblood to show me how to put on makeup. Good god Granger, you don't even wear it!" Hermione glared at him.

"So? That doesn't mean I don't know how to put it on. But if you are going to be like that then you can do it yourself." with that she marched out of the bathroom, leaving Draco alone with a bad of makeup and no idea how to wear it. Sighing at his stupidity, Draco opened the bag. Blush, mascara, lipstick, and lots of other things poured out of it and onto the counter. Draco thought about it and decided to go ahead and try to do it himself. After all, how hard could it be?

An hour and a half later, Draco knew exactly just how hard it would be. But he was pleased with the effect. He had decided to put on a little bit of blush, a tad of mascara, some eyeliner (not much) and some pink lip-gloss. Nothing else. And the effect was actually rather pleasing to look at.

Smiling, Draco left the bathroom and walked in the common room. Hermione was gone, probably to the library or to go snogging with Ron. So Draco had the place to himself. He laid down on his bed and closed his eyes. He decided that a little nap would be nice before the dinner. Sighing he pulled the quilt over himself and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

A/N-----So, what do you think? Good? Bad? Review! This chapter was difficult to write, as I didn't know where to stop or start. I almost added the dinner scene in here, but I decided to leave that for the next chapter. Anyways, thank's for reading! You've gotton this far, so why not send me a lovely review? Or one burning with flames from Hades. Either way, it would be much appreciated. 


	5. The Curse of Womanhood

Thank you so much for everyone who reviewed J I love yall guys!

**curlyqntx****- **lol, thanks.

**Snow Mouse****- **I don't care for Hr/R myself. But this isn't a Hr/R fic. If you read this chapter, I think you'll get a pleasant surprise ;)

**emmablk1****- **I WUV YOU! Without you I would have NEVER got this thing this far. So get your nimble fingers typing and get them working on Interruptions 5!

**Chantal J and Sam****- **Thank you, love your reviews!

**krissy kris- **Thanks ;)

**Irol- **Hope you like this one too!

**mony-hp****- **lol! Thank you! Originally I had the bra part a lot longer but I cut it because it was mainly just me rambling and boringness. Lol.

**Sayaku-chan****- **I LOVE YOU! The Chocolate Frog part was like, one of my FAVORITE parts that I wrote! I got the idea from the second movie where Harry's first frog jumps out the window and Ron sighs and says "To bad, they only have one good jump in them" or something like that, lol. I'm so glad that you enjoyed it J

**iheartfredandgeorge83****- **lol, I'm glad you likey ;)

**Potter's Wife- **It's the death threats like yours that make me happiest. Lol. Thanks, I hope this is up soon enough for you!

**hpottersgirl****- **Your name is Diana? Awesome! Yeah, I am really into the gods/goddesses. Especially greek. Athena is the BESTEST! Lol

**Enjoy!**

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Gender Changing Toffees Chapter Five: 

The Curse

To Draco it seemed like it had been only ten minutes before he awoke. Someone was annoyingly tugging at his shoulder and yelling impatiently. He groaned and rolled over to face his tormentor. He had expected it to be Hermione's face looming anxiously over his, but instead he saw golden locks and recognized that the person who had awakened him as Lavender Brown.

"DIANA! Hermione told me to come and get you right away, the dinner is about to start!" she said crossly. Obviously this was something she had been saying for quite some time now. It took Draco a few moments to register that Lavender had been indeed talking to him. He was still not used to his name. He groaned again and sat up slowly from the bed.

"Whaddayousay?" he asked sleepily. Lavender rolled her eyes and pointed to the door exiting the dormitory.

"I said, you nitwit, that Hermione Granger told me to come in here and get you because the dinner is about to begin!" Draco's mind instantly sharpened and he threw off his blankets. He was going to be bloody late to the dinner! It took him a minute or so more to realize that Lavender was still there. He had assumed that she had left.

"What?" he snapped at the young Gryffindor. Lavender raised her eyebrows at his sharp manner. She was not about to be intimidated by this new girl.

"Well, I am supposed to show you to the great hall. That's what Hermione told me." she said with an air of authority. Draco bit back a sharp retort, instead shrugging his shoulders in a careless way. He had forgotten his role as the lost, new transfer student.

"Right. Sorry for my behavior. I'm worthless until I've been up for an hour or so." he held out his hand for her to shake it, "My name is Diana Albert, and you are…?" he trailed off. Lavender beamed at him and embraced him in a friendly hug. Draco's first impulse was to shove her from him, but all the girls these days hugged. And it would make him appear weird and unusual if he wasn't receptive. So he hugged her back. Thankfully the embrace didn't last long.

"Lavender Brown. But all my friends call me Lav." she answered his question. Draco nodded his head. Inwardly he was thinking that he would rather be caught dead than call her Lav.

"Lets be good friends, ok?" she asked bubbly. She was really pushing her luck, that girl was. Draco forced a smile and managed to choke out an 'ok'. He would have told her that he was wearing bright pink knickers if he thought it would shut her up. Before she could add in any more friendly comments Draco drew her attention back to the matter at hand.

"We should be leaving now, I can't be late for the dinner." he said bluntly. Lavender squeaked and covered her mouth with her hand.

"Of course! I completely forgot! It's this way, just follow me!" she squealed. It made Draco cringe. He hated girls squealing. Lavender enthusiastically showed him all the details on the way to the hall. Everything from the girls restrooms to any portrait that she just insisted he chat with. If they had not reached the great hall as soon as they did, he might have killed her. As soon as they set foot in the hall, Lavender began bouncing up and down. She was trying to catch the attention of a pretty Indian girl setting at the end of the Gryffindor table. Draco assumed that it was Parvati. Lavender caught Parvati's eye. She instantly began motioning rapidly with her hands, and moving her mouth around as if saying something. Draco had seen girls do that before. It was that weird secret bond that girls seemed to have where they would wave their hands, move their mouths, and the other girl would immediately know what she was talking about. Draco thought the whole act was ridiculous. It took a while but eventually Lavender turned to Draco.

"Do you want to set with me and my friend Parvati?" she asked. Draco glanced at the table to spot Hermione. She was setting by the wonder boys. Parvati was a good yard or so from them. He would rather listen to Lavender and Parvati all day than watch Weasel boy drooling over him.

"Sure, that sounds nice." he said smiling. Lavender looped her arm in his- how disgusting- and dragged him over to Parvati. She sat by her friend and motioned for Draco to set in front of them on the other side.

"So, there's all this gossip going on about you. Tell us, what's your story?" asked Parvati bluntly. Draco was a bit taken back. No hello, no greeting. These girls got straight to the point.

"My name is Diana Albert. I am an exchange student from Salem's School of Sorcery in America." he replied, much like a message machine. The two girls rolled their eyes. And Lavender sighed.

"We know that. Obviously. We want to know the good stuff. I mean, is it true what they say about you and Snape? She asked. Draco's eyes bugged out and he was half sure that he had gasped.

"What do they say about me and Snape?" he wondered. Lavender giggled and glanced at the table where their potions professor was setting.

"Oh you know. Pansy Parkinson just swears that she saw you drift into his office in the early hours of the morning. Oh come on, don't pretend you didn't. There are other witnesses!" she said early. She leaned in to get Draco's answer.

"Bloody hell, no! Never!" he insisted. He was disgusted by the mere thought of anyone being romantically interested in Snape. Let alone himself! Lavender smiled sweetly and shook her head as if she didn't believe him.

"Hey, we don't blame you. Snape is quite handsome if you ask me." She looked at him curiously, waiting for him to respond. Draco felt frozen. He didn't think he _could _respond. He was so disgusted by the thought that she had put into his head that he wanted to gag. Snape. Handsome. He heard the two words, but could not mentally put them together. And she thought there was something between them!

"How can you even think he's good looking?" he asked unbelievably. Was it even humanly possible for someone to think Snape was good looking? Lavender giggled annoyingly and blushed.

"Well he's got the whole tall, dark, handsome thing going for him. He's brilliant. And he has that mystery about him too." Parvati giggled. Draco's mouth gaped open. He could not believe this. These two pigheaded giggly girls had a crush on Snape! Did girls talk about this kind of stuff all of the time?

"You know, that Ron's quite a catch too. I can't wait for him and Hermione to split." she said dreamily. Draco's brain could not handle this. Weasel! People liked Weasel! Ron had nothing on Draco. He was a tall freckly stick! Wait... what was that about Hermione and Ron splitting up?

"Granger and Weasel are going to break up?" he asked curiously. Lavender through him an unbelievable look.

"Of course! Ron cannot stay with one girl for long. And honestly, Hermione's not even that pretty. He's only dating her because she likes him and he feels bad for her. Besides…" she got quiet and trailed off. But she obviously wanted Draco to ask what.

"What?" he asked, mostly to humor her. But there was a part of him that was curious about the whole thing. She giggled airily and tossed her long blonde curls over her shoulder in an I-think-I'm-so-important way.

"Oh nothing that I can say. Just trust me, they won't last. Besides, he would much better suited with me. Don't you think, Parvati?" she asked. This was a speech Parvati had obviously heard before, as she responded promptly.

"Of course!" she confirmed. Draco rolled his eyes. Girls. Did they always gossip this much? And they barely knew Draco. What did they talk about with the people they did know? More importantly, did this subculture of gossiping giggling girls ever talk about Draco?

"What about that boy, the one that went to my school. Draco Malfoy? What do you girls think of him?" he asked. But he made sure that it was in a very offhand way. Lavender scrunched up her nose, Parvati likewise.

"He's rather handsome, but a snob. He dates all the easy girls, and you know he only does it because he wants a piece of action. He's also rude and arrogant." she said.

"But cute." Parvati added. Lavender nodded reluctantly.

"Too bad he's such a jerk though." she sighed. Parvati, who by now Draco realized was Lavender's lap dog, sighed after her. So those girls thought he was cute. That was refreshing to know. But a jerk. Still, that was the reputation he was aiming for he supposed. Parvati was about to add something else when a hush fell over the people in the great hall. Draco turned his head to see that Dumbledore had stood up and was about to speak. He waited for the last few chattering students to hush, then he smiled at everyone in the hall. Draco had a bad feeling that this was not going to be good.

"Tonight is a very special dinner. As many of you have probably heard by now, we have a guest amongst our school. Hogwarts recently participated in a student exchange program with Salem's School of Sorcery in America. Young Draco Malfoy went to America, and we were graced with the presence of Diana Albert." he paused while the crowd clapped politely and turned to glance at their visitor. Draco prayed the old geezer wouldn't take long. He hated it when everyone was goggling at him. It made him nervous. Dumbledore's booming voice continued, "Miss Albert here will be staying with us until the program is completed. I expect you to all treat her with the courtesy and respect befitting of a Hogwarts student. Now, let the feast begin." Dumbledore concluded. Then with a slight wave of his hand, the tables all filled with food. Draco let out a long breath of silent thanks that he didn't have to do a speech or anything. Draco's stomach growled, interrupting his thoughts. He hadn't eaten in forever.

Draco was in the midst of grabbing a tender looking piece of chicken to his already enormous plate when he felt a slight tap on his shoulder. Annoyed, he turned around to see Colin Creevy blushing furiously and working his mouth as if he wanted to say something. The kid should be called Colin Creepy.

"Diana, uh, I'm Colin Creevy. I was wondering if you would like to set with me? You can meet some more of the other Gryffindor's." he said in an oddly high pitched voice. Draco shook his head.

"Sorry, I'm chatting with uh, Lavender and Parvati here. Maybe another time." Collin looked crushed but agreed, another time. As soon as he was gone Lavender began snickering.

"What?" Draco asked her. She widened her eyes in what he supposed was mock surprise.

"Colin likes you." she giggled. Parvati scowled and pushed around her mashed potatoes. There was something here that Draco was missing.

"What about it?" he asked slowly. Parvati looked up from her plate and glared at Lavender. Before she had looked like she was going to say something, a juicy piece of gossip, but she immediately quieted.

"He just likes you, that's all." she replied. But it was too late, Draco had already realized what was going on. Parvati fancied Colin- Merlin knows why. An uncomfortable silence ensued. Lavender giggled nervously, looking at Parvati every now and then. She tried to talk to her also, but the angry girl would just ignore her and pretend as if she hadn't heard her. This was all highly amusing to Draco. Finally Lavender got fed up with it, and stood to leave the table in an angry huff. She glared at Parvati and spoke loudly to Draco, as so the girl could over hear.

"Sorry, Diana, but I cannot stand the company. I'll see you later." she practically shouted. As she stalked off, Parvati sighed and gave Draco an apologetic look.

"I'd better go apologize. See you around Diana." she said sadly. She grabbed her bag and, after waving goodbye to Draco, followed her friend. This left Draco completely alone. And that was exactly what he needed. He ate some of his food, but soon realized that he had gotten way to much and pushed his plate away, preferring to survey those around him. The Gryffindor table looked rather as it usually did, but the Slytherin's were whispering and Draco could tell there was something up. Pansy looked crushed and teary, and Crabe and Goyle lost. He supposed they were all hurt that he hadn't told them about his 'leaving for America'. Pansy caught his eye and for a moment he wanted to smile at her, but she sneered and turned around. He had forgotten again that she didn't know who he was. He was musing over the lost looking Slytherin's when he noticed a few people setting down by him. Three bodies sat down on the table. Ron Weasley grinned at him on his right, and Harry from his front. Hermione sat beside Harry and was scowling so that it was rather apparent that none of this was her idea at all. She crossed her arms around her chest and seemed determined not to meet Draco's eyes.

"So Diana, how are you?" Ron asked. Draco smiled and twirled a loose strand of his hair.

"Oh, I've been alright I suppose. You?"

"The same." he replied. He was staring at her and smiling all goofily again. Across the table Hermione was talking to Harry loudly about their Potions homework. She was trying hard to pretend that Ron and Diana weren't there. He wanted to make her mad again. He knew it was childish, but he did.

"You are such a cutie Ron. When do you plan to break up with that girl of yours?" he asked silkily. That got her attention. Her and Harry's heads snapped around to hear Ron's reply. He blushed furiously and wrung his hands.

"I don't know." he said. This earned him a very disgusted look from Hermione, so he quickly changed his tone and said, "I mean never, never ever." But the damage was done. Hermione stood up, visibly shaking.

"Ronald Weasley, if you want to break up with me then do it!" she shouted. Several Gryffindor's turned to see what the commotion was about. This caused Ron to blush further.

"No, Hermione, of course I don't-" Hermione cut him off by a sharp slap to the face.

"Don't you dare lie to me Ronald! I have known for two weeks about you and Lavender! So don't you dare go and lie to me!" She shouted. Ron winced and opened his mouth. Then closed it. A bright red mark was beginning to spread across his cheek. Draco absentmindedly touched his own face where Hermione had hit him last. He almost felt sorry for Ron.

"Mione, nothing happened between us, I swear it!" Ron professed. Hermione gave him a look of disgust, grabbed up Harry's goblet of pumpkin juice, and before any of them could guess what she was going to do, emptied the cup over Ron's head. Sweet, sticky orange juice clung to Ron's red hair and stuck to his robes. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at her. It got very, very quiet. Hermione was very red in the face and was breathing heavily. Her eyes were also, Draco noticed, beginning to tear up. But she didn't cry.

"Liar." she said, her voice cracking. And then she ran out of the hall. Ron was left, stunned. He touched a hand to his face, then his hair. He was a mess. Harry was goggling at him and Draco could feel the shock the boy was feeling.

"Ron…?" he asked. Ron sighed and laid his head on the table.

"Yeah. It's true." he said meekly. He was expecting Harry to be sympathetic, but the boy was anything but. His eyes flamed and stood up angrily.

"I can't believe you. Merlin Ron, you are the biggest bloody git ever! How could you do something like that to her?" he stormed. Ron by now was getting angry too.

"I didn't know I had to tell you everything about my life! It was none of your business!" he shouted. Harry looked ready to punch him.

"You are pathetic Ron. I can't believe you! If you ever hurt her like that again I am going to kill you!" he exclaimed. Ron stood up now, facing Harry. He reached for his wand, but before he could get it Harry was gone in the same direction that Hermione had went. The instant he left Lavender came running up to Ron.

"Ron! Oh my poor baby, I am so sorry!" she cried. Ron sighed and patted her hand.

"It had to come out eventually Lav." he said, pretending to sound brave and macho. Draco raised his eyebrow as Lavender smiled at him, kissed his nose, and began wiping the drink off his hair and face. She cooed comfortingly as she did so. Draco had had more than enough of this disturbing display of affection. He left the hall and began to walk to the Common Room. It took him a while, and he eventually had to ask a third year Gryffindor, but he eventually made it to the portrait. The fat lady raised her eyebrow, and held out her hand.

"Password?" she asked. Draco groaned. The bloody password! He had forgotten it! HE pressed his fingers to his temples, trying to recall it. Gillyweed! Smiling triumphantly, he repeated the password. But the Fat Lady shook her large head.

"That is not the correct password." she said.

"It is too. Or was yesterday." he retorted angrily. She shook her head again, sending ripples of fat along her double chin.

"The password changed. There was, I believe, a notice in the common room." she snapped. She obviously was not enjoying this conversation. "I just simply cannot let you in without the password." she finished. Draco begged. He pleaded. But she just would not back down. Finally he sat down beside her and waited for someone to come. Unfortunately most everyone was still at the dinner. So Draco imagined he had quite a while to wait. Surprisingly however, it was only about 20 minutes before he heard someone stomping up the stairs. Hermione Granger's familiar face peeked at him from the staircase.

"What are you doing out here and not at dinner?" she asked. Draco wrinkled his nose, wasn't she supposed to be off somewhere crying?

"Why aren't you at dinner?" he replied. Hermione sighed and shrugged her shoulders, making her bushy hair bounce slightly.

"Fine. I won't ask, you won't ask." She walked over to the Fat Lady, who smiled graciously.

"Password?" she asked. Hermione smiled politely.

"Wrackspurt" she said, with some distaste.

"What is a rack spurt? Draco couldn't help but ask as the Fat Lady swung inward and the two stepped in the common room. Hermione frowned and scrunched up her nose.

"It is _supposedly_ an invisible creature whom floats around your ears and makes your brain go fuzzy." she answered.

"Supposedly?"

"Supposedly. Luna Lovegood claims it exists anyways. Vi heard her telling someone or another about it and when she told the Fat Lady, the Fat Lady found it delightful and made it the new password." Hermione said. But it was obvious that she didn't believe it. And if it came from Loony Lovegood than Draco certainly didn't believe it either. He smiled. The mere idea of a wackswatsit or whatever it was called was insane. Hermione must have caught him smiling because she smiled softly too.

"You should smile more often." she told him. Draco looked at her in surprise.

"Why?" he asked.

"It makes you look almost human. Instead of the blank robot you usually look like." she said. Draco was confused.

"What's a robot?" he wondered. Hermione sighed.

"It's a muggle contraption. It's a device that looks like a human. Muggle. But it's made of metal and-" She paused as she caught sight of Draco's helplessly confused expression. "Oh never mind." she laughed. Draco smiled, even thought he knew she was sort of laughing at him.

"You should laugh more." he told her. Hermione raised an eyebrow at him questioningly.

"Why?" she questioned.

"It makes you not look so uptight all the time." he told her. Hermione smiled and blushed just slightly.

"Well." Was all she said. Draco smiled, thinking to himself that he had just made pleasant conversation with Granger. Hermione was thinking something similar. Then she remembered that there was something she needed to tell him about.

"Oh, I completely forgot. On Wednesday we have a meeting. Fred and George will be coming and you and I will meet them in Snape's classroom to start on your antidote. Professor Snape would be there, but Dumbledore has him working on something important. So it will be just the four of us." she informed him. Draco was bit upset that he would miss Hogsmeade, but the idea of spending time with Hermione was becoming to seem less and less disgusting to him.

"Oh, alright." he said shortly. Hermione nodded her head. About that time the doors to the common room opened and Ron stepped in flanked by Lavender. The two were giggling but they stopped when they saw Hermione and Diana. Ron paled and he dropped his hand from Lavenders.

"Err, hi Hermione." he said meekly. Hermione stared at him and Lavender. She seemed speechless. But of course she eventually found her voice.

"I think I need to be going to bed now. I'm…I'm not feeling well." she blurted, then rushed up the stairs. She held her hand up to her face and Draco was willing to bet she had started to cry. Ron shrugged in a helpless way and smiled at Diana.

"Nice to see you again." he greeted. Draco was done with him though, now that him and Hermione were over there was no reason for him to lead Ron on. At least that's what he told himself. Deep down he knew there was more to it, but he ignored that. Besides, Lavender was giving him some awful looks. He knew how protective girls could be over their guys.

"Hi Ron. I'm feeling a bit tired myself, I think I'll retire." he told the red head.

"Night." Ron told him.

"Don't wait up for me!" Lavender added. Draco assumed this was her way of telling him to back off. Whatever, he thought. Draco resumed his walk up the staircase. He was about to open the door when he heard sniffling coming from inside. Granger. Draco opened the door to find her setting on her bed, holding a stuffed dragon. She had obviously been crying. Hermione looked up at him through her bleary eyes.

"It's you." she said. Draco nodded.

"In the flesh." he replied. Hermione bit her lip, letting a bright tear escape her eye. This was not good. Draco actually was beginning to feel bad. This was his fault. And here she was, setting on her bed, crying. He sighed and sat down on the end of her perfectly made bed.

"I'm sorry." he apologized. Hermione looked at him, confused.

"For what?" she asked. Draco rolled his eyes and gestured towards her tears.

"For causing you and Ron to break up." he told her. Hermione smiled sadly and shook her head.

"No, this was bound to happen sooner or later. It's his fault, not yours. Well, and Lavender I suppose." she added the last name with a grimace. Then she began bawling again. Draco panicked. What was he supposed to do? What did you do to girls when they cried? He just set there awkwardly. Thankfully she didn't cry for long. After a few minutes her tears subsided and she began to dry her eyes.

"So sorry, I shouldn't have let myself get so worked up over this. Really. And thank you for listening." she said, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. Draco didn't know what to say. Granger thanking him was a shock. Probably as much as him saying he was sorry to her was.

"Uh, you're welcome." he said. Hermione finished drying her eyes, leaned over, and brushed her lips lightly across Draco's cheek. Although his face remained motionless, he was exploding with emotions inside. The moment that her lips had touched his face, he had felt something like electricity shoot through him. He couldn't explain it. He knew she meant it in a friendly way- how many times had he seen her kiss Ron and Harry on the cheek? But still. Draco didn't like feeling good when she kissed him. As a matter of a fact, it scared him. Because he couldn't like Granger. Even as a friend. So Draco said he needed to go to the bathroom and got up. Hermione was completely oblivious to ant effect whatsoever she had had upon him. As soon as Draco got to the bathroom he turned on the water tap and splashed his face with cool icy water several times. It made him feel much better. Draco sighed and realized that he needed to pee. His underwear seemed slightly wet. He sat down on the toilet- that in itself still took some getting used to. But when he pulled down his pants, he nearly fainted. There was blood! What was happening? Was he changing back into a guy? Was he dying? Or…no. Draco shook his head. Men didn't talk about that stuff. It couldn't be. It just couldn't. But that seemed like the only explanation. He didn't know what to do. Most girls went to their mothers when this happened, he knew that. But he couldn't. What was he to do?

"Granger, I need your help!" he shouted through the door. Dumbledore had told him Hermione could help with girl questions. And being a girl he assumed she would know about this. He heard Hermione get up and walk to the door.

"What?" she asked. Draco didn't know what to say. Or how to say it. He didn't want to say it.

"You know that…uh… thing girls… get? Well- uh, I…think I …got it." he choked out.

"What do you mean?" she asked through the door. For the love of Merlin, was he going to have to say it?

"Uh, my…." Draco couldn't bring himself to say period. He just couldn't. Men avoided the word at all costs. Even when talking about grammar, they preferred to use the word dot. Or end.

"You know. That thing. At an end of a sentence…" he trailed off. Through the door he heard Hermione take a sharp breath. She hoped she was wrong. Oh Merlin, she hoped that this wasn't what she thought it was. She could not do this. Draco Malfoy could not have gotten his first period.


	6. The birds, the bees, the tampons

Hey people! Sorry it took me so long to get this out, but school has got me REALLY busy. Evil school. Anyways, the 7th chapter will probably take two weeks to get out :( I know, sry, but they like overload me with homework and tests. As a matter of fact, I should be working on homework now :) lol.

**KittyKatRox**- Thank you so much :) Your review made me smile!

**hpottersgirl****-** omg, I read part of the Oddessy in schoo, it was so good! Made me love Athena even more! lol. And I ment the color orange, not the orange drink. lol, I just noticed how confusing that is. lol, glad you liked it when he got his period ;) lol.

**Chantal J and Sam****-** I will make Draco suffer, muwhahahaha! And Ron! lol

**Sayaku-chan****-** lol, thanks.

**curlyqntx**- lmao, thank you :)

**Arwen12323**- It only gets worse, muwhahahaha!

**isgrid**- Awh, thank you so much! I love getting reviews like that :)

**emmablk1****-** You are the BESTESTS! What more can I say?

**mony-hp**- lol, yeah, hard to believe Ron would be such a git. But I had to have some drama in there :) And a reason for Hermione to be free to wuv Draco.

**XXDarkest AngelXX**- Thank you :)

**Dumbledork**- lmao, Draco will end up a guy in the end :) 

**Silverbunnie****-** lol, Hermione might turn lesbian ;) muwhahahaha! Just kidding. Maybe I'm kidding. Maybe I'm not. Guess you'll have to read and find out, eh?

**ultra-violet-catastrophy****-** What is the fun of a Gender Changing story if the boy/girl dosen't get his period? It is essential! lol. And I could not resist. Men need to suffer like us, poor, bleeding, birth giving women do!

**Madison**- Thanks :)

I wuv yall guys!

Gender Changing Toffees Chapter Six:

The birds, the bees, the tampons.

Hermione could not believe what she had just heard. If she was right, and she hoped she wasn't, then Draco Malfoy had just gotten his period. She felt her knees go weak and Hermione had to hold on to the doorknob or else she would fall. She didn't think she could deal with this. But you can deal with anything, she told herself. That helped her a little bit. She realized that the first thing she had to do was to make sure that he had indeed gotten his period.

"Malfoy, are you sure? As in, one hundred percent certain?" she asked. She heard Draco curse loudly behind the door.

"Yes I'm sure! And keep it down for Merlin's sake, the bloody Ravenclaw's can hear you shouting!" he replied, confirming her fears. Then Draco realized that he had used the word bloody. Oh irony, why now? He asked himself. Hermione told him to be quiet and let her think.

"Do you know how to deal with it?" she finally asked. If he didn't…Hermione didn't want to think about it. She did not want to instruct Draco on girl's monthlies.

"If I knew that I would hardly be asking you for help now would I? He snapped. Hermione sighed.

"Right. Well…Uh. You're going to have to let me in. Or you can come out here. There are- uh some…things you need to know." she said. Draco did not like the sound of this. Not a bit. He sighed and opened the door, coming out. Hermione noticed that he was quite pale and briefly thought that she herself probably looked the same. The two stood there awkwardly. Neither wanted to meet the other's eyes. Finally Hermione realized that she was going to have to take charge here.

"Malfoy, you might want to set down." she began. Draco, still not meeting her eyes, sat down stiffly on the corner of Hermione's bed. He was obviously uncomfortable with this. He kept absentmindedly running his hands through his silky blonde hair and glancing around nervously. Hermione sighed, sat in the middle of her bed, and faced him.

"So, what _do_ you know about it? She asked. Draco glared down angrily at the rug in the floor before answering her.

"I know that sometimes girls get bitchy when they have it, and that if they don't get it, it means they're pregnant." he replied, never taking his eyes off the rug. Hermione rolled her eyes. He knew virtually nothing.

"Well at least some of that's true. I really don't want to go into deep detail, but I'll give you the basics. Girl's get it once a month, for a week. Sometimes it can hurt, and that's called cramps. And your right, if a girl misses her period it can mean that she's pregnant. Now, do you know about pads and tampons?" Hermione asked, biting her lip. She really didn't want to explain it.

"Yeah, those diapers girls wear." he said. Hermione shook her head and got off the bed to rummage in her trunk. She hopped back on the bed not long later, with two boxes in her hands. Draco did not want to know what was in those boxes. But it looked as if Hermione was going to tell him anyways.

"This is a box of pads. They stick to your underwear and absorb your blood." she said, handing the box to him. Draco paled and stared numbly at the box in his hands.

"Ok." he squeaked in a high pitched voice. Hermione handed him the other box, which he assumed were tampons.

"Now, these are sort of different. They absorb the blood… from inside of you. You have to uh, put them up there." she told him. Draco raised an eyebrow.

"What? How?" he asked. Hermione felt like crying with exasperation. Didn't boys know anything? She opened the box and took out one of the tampons. Draco was beginning to wish that he hadn't asked. He was starting to feel ill even. Hermione then opened the tampon package and told him how to insert it. Draco's eyes rolled back in his head slightly, his vision was starting to blurr. He realized that he was falling forward… Hermione stared in shock at the limp, fainted form of Draco Malfoy. He had fainted! She couldn't believe it. Hermione ran to the bathroom, grabbed a cloth and soaked it in water. She then wringed it out over Draco's face.

"What the hell are you doing?" The now awakened blonde asked angrily.

"You fainted, I had to wake you up." she explained. Draco groaned and sat up on the bed. Unfortunately he remembered why he had fainted.

"Am, am I going to have to use one of those…tamp-ons?" He asked warily. Hermione shook her head and explained.

"Not at all. Some girls do, but you don't have to. You can just use the pads if that's more comfortable for you." she said, handing him back the box. Draco looked up at her gratefully.

"Thanks Granger. For uh, explaining all that to me." he said. Hermione looked surprised. He was thinking her?

"No problem. Now you might want to put that on now. Change it every so often." she said. Draco nodded his head grimly and walked with his box to the bathroom. Hermione smiled slightly once the door was closed. If only she could tell Ron and Harry that she had just given Draco his first box of pads! They would really get a kick out of it. In ten minutes Draco emerged looking very uncomfortable.

"Can you tell?" he asked, turning around and examining himself in a mirror hanging on the door. Hermione shook her head and explained that no one could, unless he told them. That made Draco feel better. Hermione also gave him a few pads to put in his book bag so that he could have them handy during class. About then the door to the dorm opened with a bang and a very flustered Lavender entered, with Parvati trailing behind her. She glanced at Hermione and bit her lip. Hermione knew she was uncomfortable and decided to break the long silence that ensued.

"Lavender, it's ok if you want to go out with Ron. I don't mind, really." she said. Lavender beamed and embraced Hermione in a hug.

"I'm just so glad! I mean, I love won-won but I didn't want to ruin our great friendship." she said. Hermione smiled back, but Draco could tell she really felt the opposite. Then all three girls began discussing their classes the next day and Draco took the opportunity to grab one of the pajamas in his trunk and go to the bathroom to put them on. When he came out Hermione was already changed into a simple white cotton gown- which Draco thought made her look quite nice, and Lavender was in the process of changing. She had her shirt off and was just wearing her bra. And it was a cute pink bra with green polka dots. Draco's first reaction was to shield his eyes. But then he realized that no one else seemed uncomfortable about it. And, they did think he was a girl. Draco was beginning to think that this being a girl was having some lovely advantage. Grinning wickedly in his mind, Draco sat down on his bed and continued to gaze at Lavender. He thought briefly that it was too bad that he came out before Hermione was done changing. But he quickly dismissed the thought. Even though he was starting to think Granger was ok, there was no way he was going to think of her in that way. Eventually Lavender pulled on a pajama shirt but Draco never took his eyes off her before that. His staring went unnoticed by Lavender and Parvati, but Hermione was glaring at him. Uh oh. As soon as Lavender went to the bathroom and Parvati laid down on her bed, Hermione turned to him.

"Malfoy! You can't go goggling at Lavender. Not only is it rude, but its completely disgusting! I am going to have a talk with Mcgonagall about it." she whispered. Draco rolled his eyes.

"Oh just shut up." he whispered back. Hermione looked as if she was going to slap him but thankfully Lavender returned at that moment. Hermione glared one last time at Draco before snuggling into her bed. Parvati turned off the lights and then they all got in their beds. Soon Draco could hear their steady breathing and knew they were asleep. But Draco stayed awake for a while longer. He was wondering where his thought about wanting to see Hermione changing had came from. Surely he didn't like her. No. Malfoys did not like mudbloods. And Draco was no exception. His thoughts were interrupted by himself yawning. He realized that he was exhausted. His eyes began to feel heavy and before he knew it Draco was drifting off to sleep. His last thoughts were of how he knew he didn't like Hermione. However, that night he dreamed about a brunette angel flying with him on a broom. He smiled in his sleep.

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Draco woke up early. He had heard someone getting up out of bed. Sleepy, and slightly disoriented, Draco sat up and scanned the beds. Lavender was there, Parvati was there, Hermione was- was not there! Where could she have gone off to? No one was in the bathroom. Curious, and now unable to go back to sleep, Draco quietly walked out of the dorm and down the stairs to the common room. He stopped near the bottom, he could hear whispering. One voice was defiantly Hermione's, but who's was this other persons? Draco could tell that it was a male but he couldn't recognize who exactly. He caught a few snippets of conversations.

"I just don't understand" Hermione cried.

"Don't worry Mione, it's his loss." the Mystery Man said, comforting her.

Draco realized that they were talking about Ron. He heard Hermione sniffle and decided to creep closer for a better look. He peeked around the staircase and saw Hermione setting on the couch. Her head was rested on the guys shoulder, and he was stroking her hair comfortingly. For some reason Draco didn't like that. He wasn't jealous, of course not, but something bothered him. He told himself it was because he knew Hermione was in a delicate sensitive state and would probably cling to anyone. But deep down he questioned that reason. Suddenly the guy's head turned around to the side and Draco recognized him. Potter! What the heck was he doing up so late with Granger? He decided to spy on them a little longer.

"Harry, I just don't understand. I mean, why? What's wrong with me?" she asked sadly. Harry frowned and kissed her forehead lightly in a friendly manner.

"Nothing is wrong with you Mione. Ron's just a git, that's all." he said. Hermione sniffed and wiped her eyes, "Well, I guess I should go and get ready for class." Harry smiled and chuckled lightly.

"Mione, classes start in two hours. Why don't you just stay here a little longer?" he asked. He tried to make it sound like he didn't care, but Draco could tell that he could. And that's when he realized that Potter liked Hermione. It explained why he got so pissed at Ron. This was unsettling with Draco. He didn't like Harry liking Hermione. Fortunately, Hermione shook her head to his offer.

"I need to speak with Mcgonagall anyway. And it wouldn't kill me to get work on that Potions essay a little. I can go get something to eat too. By the time that's over, classes will have started." she said. Harry looked a bit sad, but shrugged his shoulders.

"Sure. Well in that case I think I'm going to go to bed for a while longer." he said. Hermione smiled and brushed her lips to his cheek lightly.

"Thanks, Harry." she said smiling. Harry blushed and stared into the fire.

"You're welcome, Mione." he replied quietly. Hermione then got up, stretched her arms and headed up the staircase. Draco panicked and quickly got to bed. He made it just in time because as soon as he laid down Hermione opened the door. He heard her rummage around for a while then she we went to the bathroom to change. Close call. Later she came out again and grabbed her books then left. He heard her footsteps echoing on the stairs a while after she was going. Draco sighed and rolled over. He couldn't believe what he had learned. Potter liked Granger. It seemed impossible. But then it also all fit. He frowned, not really understanding why that bothered him. Although he tried several times, he just could not get back to sleep. He decided to take a trip down to the library.

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Hermione sighed as she made her way to Mcgonagall office. She knew her professor would be up right now. Mcgonagall was often up late grading papers and Hermione had made frequent visits to talk to her. Finally she reached the Transfiguration teachers office. And thankfully the room was lit, meaning Mcgonagall was in there.

"Professor?" Hermione asked, knocking lightly on the door. She heard Mcgonagall clear her throat through the door.

"Come in Miss Granger." she said crisply. Hermione pushed open the large door to her office and stepped inside. The room was dimly lit and Minerva sat on top of her desk, perched as if waiting for Hermione.

"What is it you want to talk about Miss Granger? Mr.Malfoy I presume." Hermione nodded her head and sat down on the desk nearest to Minerva's.

"Yes. Well I just noticed him staring rather rudely at Lavender as she changed her clothes. I think it's wrong of him to take advantage of his situation to spy on girls." she confessed. Minerva nodded her head.

"Yes, I thought we might have a problem with that. But don't worry Miss. Granger, I will take care of it. I will simply tell the other girls that Diana has a problem with modesty, though she doesn't want to admit it, and that they should change in the bathroom from now on. But I get the feeling that there is something you're holding back Miss. Granger. Might it have something to do with your display of affection towards Ronald Weasley earlier today?" she asked knowingly. Hermione bit her lip and adverted her eyes from Mcgonagall.

"Yes." she said simply. She was afraid that if she said any more she would begin to cry. Minerva smiled at her knowingly.

"Hermione, I would like to give you a valuable piece of information. Men, in all their forms and ages, are gits. Even the ones with good intentions. Men don't understand women and frankly, never will. Ronald will grow up and mature one day, and even then he will still be a git. Men never change, Hermione. It's best if you just don't worry about them." she said. Hermione thanked Mcgonagall for her advice then explained that she wanted to spend some time in the library. On her way there she thought about her professors words, and felt much better than she had earlier.

The doors were open, which did not surprise Hermione. Many students did studying in the early hours in the morning and Madame Pince often left the doors unlocked. She stepped through the doors and glanced about her. She wanted a table near the back where she wouldn't have to bother with anyone else. She really didn't have to worry about other people though, as there weren't many students there this morning. She saw about four kids, all whom looked deeply immersed in their books. So Hermione choose the table farthest to the back in the right corner. She didn't feel much like reading but decided to get a head start on her essay for Binn's. They were each to choose one famous witch or wizard and right a biography about them. Hermione had chosen Emelia Story. She was the first witch to be a healer and had invented several medicinal cures, including the discovery and use of the Essence of Murlap. Hermione took out a bit of parchment, a quill, and some ink and sat them on her desk. Then she tried to begin her essay. _Emelia Story was one of the most incredible witches of her age. _No, that was no good. _Emelia Story was born in Salem, Massachusetts. The only daughter of Madeline and Emerson Story, _No, that was no good either. Hermione crumpled up the parchment in frustration and threw it on the floor. She began to take out another when she heard a slight chuckle behind her. The noise came so suddenly in the quiet library that Hermione screeched and jumped in her seat, spilling black ink down the front of her robes in the process.

"Look at what you made me do!" she complained. Draco Malfoy grinned at her and tossed his long blonde hair over his shoulder.

"Phst, I didn't make you do anything. You did it all yourself." he replied. Hermione rolled her eyes and began to sop up the ink. Draco tried to assist her, but when he did she glared at him.

"I can do it myself you know, I'm not completely inefficient."

"Oh alright, be that way." he said, raising his hands in defeat. Hermione just rolled her eyes again.

"What are you doing here anyways?" she asked. Draco shrugged his shoulders and picked at one of his nails absentmindedly.

"Wanted to see you, of course. Not. I just wanted to get out of that bloody room and away from Parvati's horrendous snoring." he replied. Hermione smiled and dabbed up the last bit of ink off her robes.

"Can't really blame you for that." she said. Draco grinned and sat down in the chair opposite her.

"So what are you doing anyways?" he asked. Hermione glanced at the many crumpled pieces of parchment on her desk.

"Oh, err, just an essay for Binns." she replied. Draco raised his eyebrow and smiled softly at the mess in front of her.

"Mind if I stay for a while?" he asked. Hermione shrugged her shoulders and brought out a quill and dipped it in fresh black ink. She then began scribbling on the parchment in front of her. As she did so, Draco couldn't help but stare at her in a way that he had never looked at anyone before. Hermione's soft bushy hair floated around her face in what can only be described as waves, and her eyes were lit with an enthusiasm for knowledge. Draco shook his head, why was he thinking of her like this? The early morning light from the window near them poured soft light onto Hermione, making her glow. Draco could not explain what he did next. Smiling slightly, he brushed away some of the loose strands of brown hair from her face. Hermione lifted her chin and stared at him in shock. At first glance Draco thought he saw something else in her eyes as well- something warm. But it was replaced quickly by a look of confusion.

"Draco?" she asked, confused. Draco blushed and stared at his hands. He couldn't bare to look at her. What could he do? Say he was falling for her? No way. He decided to play it cool.

"What?" he asked nonchalantly. Hermione shook her head and stared at her parchment.

"Nothing." she said. Draco had expected her to push the matter, but she didn't. Instead she went right on staring at her parchment. After a few minutes of pure silence Draco said he had to go to breakfast and got up from the table, glad to get away from the awkwardness. As he retreated, Hermione slowly began to crumple up her paper.

_Emelia Story was a brilliant wizard with hard gray eyes and silver blonde hair. Draco Malfoy was born in Salem School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. _

She did not know where on earth that had come from. Why had she written something about Draco? Hermione was completely baffled. One thought entered her head but she immediately pushed it away. No what in hell did she like Malfoy. He was a bloody girl! And besides, that would make her lesbian, right? And Hermione Granger was certainly not lesbian. And she did not like Draco Malfoy. At least, she didn't think she did.


	7. Slytherin Prince or Gryffindor Teddybear

Thank you so much everyone for being patient! This took much longer than I thought it would, but I have been so busy with school that I just haven't had the time to write. But right now it's Christmas break so we'll see, mabye I can squeak out another chapter by the time school starts up again ;) - Emma Lee14

KittyKatRox- Thanks, lol. I'm glad you liked it. Well i've got someone proofing it for me, but she's slacking a little latley ;) I got my sister to go over this one for me though, so it should have less errors.

emmablk1- Well since I never got my BETA's e-mail back hinthint I had Molly proof it over for me. See what I have to do when you forget about me? lol, j/k :)

mony-hp- lol, thanks :)

hpottersgirl- We read The Oddesy my freshman year in high school, it wasn't over the summer but it was in class. We didn't really read the entire thing, but I bought a copy of it and read it. Did you like it? I thought it was really good, especially considering the fact that it was written ages ago.

Merry Christmas yall! Thanks for reading :)

* * *

**Gender Changing Toffees: Chapter Seven**

**Slytherin Prince or Gryffindor Teddy Bear?**

As Draco Malfoy made his way to the great hall, he could not help but notice that every single male he walked past gawked at him. He felt like half the pre-pubescent guys ogling him were unclothing him with their nasty little minds as he walked by. Draco rolled his eyes and tugged at the front of his robes self consciously. Did he used to be like that? Unclothing girls in his mind as they walked by? He immediately regretted the question however. Of course he had. What did that make him now? A hypocrite? Draco made a mental promise that if he was ever to be returned to his original body, he would make it a point not to be such a perverted guy. Well, not so obviously anyways. Suddenly Draco heard someone calling his name. He slowed down and Hermione Granger ran up beside him, panting.

"What?" Draco asked the flustered girl. She looked like she had just ran a marathon. It took her a while, but Hermione eventually caught her breath.

"I forgot, you said you were going to the great hall, but we have to meet Professor Mcgonagall in her office, remember? I just wanted to remind you." she explained. Draco smacked his forehead in frustration.

"I completely forgot! Thanks Granger, she'd skin me alive if I missed that." he said. The old bat was not a lady to tolerate tardiness.

"Your welcome. I guess she wants to give you your schedule and stuff. Anyways, we might as well head over there now. It never hurts to be early." she said. Draco smiled slightly, thinking that he himself often liked to arrive at places early. The two continued down the hall together. Once they reached the office, they were not surprised to see their professor already there.

"Good morning Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger." Mcgonagall greeted. Hermione and Draco nodded their heads and said good morning to her before entering the room. She motioned for the two to take a seat.

"Now, I have Mr. Malfoys schedule prepared. All of his classes excluding Divination will be with you, Miss. Granger. During that period I believe you have Muggle History. You won't begin to attend class however until tomorrow. Today I want for you to catch Draco up on his assignments and get him prepared for class. It will be a kind of easy day for the both of you." Hermione began to object then but Mcgonagall waved her away , " Don't fret Miss. Granger, I assure you that I can get adequate notes and assignments from Mr. Potter or Mr. Weasley so you won't be behind. Now, tomorrow you will begin your classes. Draco you must act like Diana. Do not forget that you are no longer Slytherin. The last thing we need is for the students to suspect something is going on. The class you do not have with Miss. Granger, you have with Harry Potter. I am aware of the tension between you in the past but I fully expect you to behave. In fact, it might be best for the both of you if you befriended him. Do you both understand?" she finished. Both students nodded their heads solemnly. This was a reminder for them about just how different their lives were going to be. Hermione was also grateful that Mcgonagall didn't mention her previous visit this morning. Their professor smiled softly and motioned for them to stand.

"Good. Now, I have a meeting in five minutes with a certain female Weasley about a nasty Bat-Bogey hex she performed on her brother this morning. I will be here if you need to discuss anything else with me." she said, laughter dancing in her old wise eyes. Hermione knew she was amused about Ginny's hex on Ron. Hermione herself was, and she laughed as they left for the library, the only place they figured they could have a quiet atmosphere in which to study.

"Ginny hexed Ron!" Hermione laughed, sounding a bit mystified and pleased at the same time. Draco grinned and flicked his hair behind his shoulder. The long locks were quite bothersome and he was considering getting them cut.

"I know, I know, you've only said it eighteen times!" he said. Hermione smiled and shook her head.

"But I just cant believe it!" she squealed.

"Well I would have done it too, had she not gotten to him first. You know, I could have beaten him to a bloody pulp." he said.

"A little thing like you? Hardly." she smirked. Draco pretended to be offended and dropped his bags on the floor, causing both of them to halt.

"Would you like to see me try?" he challenged, flexing his nonexistent muscles jokingly. Hermione rolled her eyes at his false bravado.

"Later muscle boy, right now we have some hard core studying to do." she said. Draco chuckled and grabbed his bags from the floor. When they reached the library Hermione handed Madame Pince a letter signed by Mcgonagall saying that the two had permission to study in the library for the day. Pince barley even glanced at the letter before she ushered them in. After a warning to be quiet and speak in indoor voices, she left them. Inside it was nice and quiet, and Hermione immediately choose a seat near the back. When Draco asked why she choose this particular seat she just shrugged.

"I come here a lot, and when I do this is usually where I set. I like it because it's by the window and no one else seems to notice that it exists. It's nice to set her when you want to be alone or think about something and not want to be disturbed. I know it's silly but when I need somewhere to escape to, I come here." she explained. She looked terribly embarrassed and Draco had to smile.

"I understand what you mean." he said briefly. In fact he really did. When ever his father had been particularly cruel to him or his mother distant, he would go and set by himself in their garden. It was usually empty, his parents didn't care for it much and there was no need for a gardener as spells provided all the upkeep it needed. Like the library was for Hermione, the garden was to him. He smiled softly at this thought and Hermione couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking. She didn't ask however, instead opting for opening up Draco's book bag. She pulled out several large volumes as well as parchment, a quill, and ink and set them on the table.

"So where do you want to begin?" she asked. Draco eyed the books distastefully.

"How about I take a nap?" he asked. Hermione scowled lightheartedly and picked up 'Divination: Dreams and Visions' by Maeri Merichotti. She grimaced at the title.

"Why are you taking that class?" she questioned. Draco shrugged his shoulders and a sly grin spread across his face. Everyone had heard how Hermione had stood up to Trelawney in their third year. She cared less for that class than most people did for Snape's.

"I wanted a blow-off class. You know, one where I actually don't have to worry about trying too hard." he explained. Hermione frowned at him and tapped the cover of the book thoughtfully.

"But you're smart. Why the need for a blow-off class? You could take something more enriching." she said. Draco rolled his eyes and sighed. She sounded all to familiar.

"Now you sound like my father." he grumbled. Hermione laughed and asked him to elaborate.

"He's always pushing me to be perfect. To him there is no second, only first." Draco explained. Hermione nodded her head in understanding.

"Yeah, my parents are kind of like that. Everyone expects me to be on top of things and in control. Merlin forbid I do anything less than perfect." Draco wrinkled his nose and his gray eyes lit up almost teasingly.

"C'mon Granger, haven't you ever just wanted to tell he world to shove it? I hate being perfect. Sometimes I want to do badly just to see what everyone will say" he said. Hermione smiled shyly.

"Well sometimes. But I would never dare to. The idea of letting everyone down makes me not able to." she replied. Draco's eyes glittered with amusement and he had to bite back his tongue not to chuckle. It was just like her to say something like that.

"Do it. You know you want to. Just walk into Potions tomorrow and tell Snape to stick it where the sun don't shine" he teased. Hermione imagined the reaction of her cold teacher if she were to say that and laughed. He'd probably be terribly shocked then expel her.

"Why don't you do it." she challenged. Draco pretended to consider the idea then shook his head. No way could he ever do it. Their eyes met and they both sighed.

"Yeah right." They said simultaneously. Then they laughed at them having said it together.

"Well it's nice to know that I'm not the only one out there with such sadistic desires to fail." Hermione giggled. Draco laughed and took the Divination book from her, stuffing it back into his bag. He had a feeling they wouldn't be studying much today.

"Yeah" he said. It was kind of quiet after that until Hermione broke the silence with a question.

"Why don't you just stop trying? I mean, everyone knows…" she trailed off, aware that if she continued her statement it would only anger the Slytherin. Draco meanwhile was confused.

"What does everyone think?" he asked. Hermione shook her head.

"It's not my place to say." she said, embarrassed. She knew she shouldn't have brought it up. If she were to tell him it would probably offend him.

"Come on, don't give me that. I'm sure it's not like I haven't heard it before anyways." he pried. Hermione sighed and gave in. He was not going to give up until she told him.

"Everyone assumes that you're going to be a…death eater. Like your father." she finished. Draco's eyes darkened and he shifted in his chair uncomfortably. Hermione was afraid she had gone too far and began to apologize when he cut her off.

"No, it's ok. I should have known that was what they thought. Well I won't lie and say it isn't an option. But, despite what everyone thinks, I don't want to be the bastard he is." he said the words with such emotion that Hermione was shocked.

"I'm sorry." she said. Draco glared at her.

"Don't say that. I hate it when people feel sorry for me. So my dad's a sadistic bastard. That doesn't mean I have to be one also. It pisses me off that people just assume crap about me." he said furiously, "You know, I don't even want to be a fucking death eater. But everyone just _knows _that I will. I hear people saying all the time that I'm this hopeless cause."

"You don't want to be a death eater?" Hermione asked softly, surprised. Draco crossed his arms angrily and shook his head.

"No! But it's not like I have any choice in the matter." he spat.

"Why not?" she asked. She knew she was being nosey, but she actually… cared to know. Draco seemed shocked by the question, as if the answer was completely obvious.

"Because being a death eater doesn't require a choice. It's a inheritance, if you will. And if I ever even dared to voice a bit of uncertainty about it, my father would kill me. You can't run from it. There is no choice." he said blankly. Hermione shook her head. She didn't understand what he was saying. And Draco seemed equally confused, Hermione's question completely threw him off track.

"Draco, there is always a choice. It might not be easy. One might be preferable to the other, easier than the other. But there is always a choice." she said simply. Draco bit his right pinky nail uncomfortably.

"Whatever. Let's talk about something else, ok?" he asked. He didn't want to continue their conversation. He already felt like he had said too much. Hermione smiled awkwardly and said that they should probably start studying. Draco pulled out some Astrology homework and Hermione grabbed a packet of S.P.E.W information and for the next two hours or so they worked silently on their work. Eventually Draco got bored and titled his head to the side, trying to see what Hermione was working on. She looked up, annoyed.

"S.P.E.W." she said. She had noticed him staring and assumed he wondered what she was doing.

"Spew what?" Draco asked, confused. Hermione gawked at him. Hadn't he heard?

"S.P.E.W. Society for the Promotion of Elvish Welfare. I can't believe you haven't heard of it!" she exclaimed.

"Oh!" Draco laughed. Hermione wondered why he was laughing, but she was so relieved that the gloomy mood from earlier was gone that she smiled too.

"What are you reading?" she asked. Draco rolled his eyes and held up the book from earlier, a bored expression on his face.

"What kind of a name is Maeri Merichotti anyways? How do you even begin to pronounce it?" he questioned. Hermione laughed at his expression.

"Probably like Ma-ree Mer-i-shot-e." she said.

"Well then she shouldn't spell it all funny like that." he griped. For some reason that made Hermione think about a question she'd been meaning to ask him.

"Is it weird for you? I mean, seeing all your friends but them not recognizing you?" she wondered. Draco thought about it.

"Kind of. But, like you said, they don't really want to be my friends anyways." Hermione blushed and bit her lip.

"Did I really say that?" she asked. Draco nodded his head.

"I'm sorry." Hermione apologized.

"Don't be. It was all true. It just took me a while to realize it, that's all. I'm the one who should be sorry anyways. Been acting like git lately. Flirting with Weasley and all." he said. Hermione smiled and said it was ok. Then she said that they really should be getting to work. So with much protest, Draco took up one of his books and began a essay due in a few days. Hermione continued her notes on S.P.E.W. After a while her eye lids began to droop and she yawned. Before she realized what was happening she had drifted off to sleep.

Three hours later, Hermione awoke with a start. She had a lovely dream about someone riding on a broom with her after dark on the quidditch pitch, but she couldn't remember it. She then noticed where she was, and the time. It was nearly ten! They had been in there for hours! Hermione glanced at Draco to find him asleep as well, a half written essay in his lap. Hermione nudged him with her quill but all the blonde did was to moan and roll over. Annoyed, Hermione poked him harder. Draco awoke with a yelp and faced Hermione. For a minute it was just him staring at her, and there was something in her eyes that was so warm and so comforting that Draco wanted to hug Hermione. But the awkward moment quickly passed, Hermione not even having noticed it at all. She motioned for Draco to be quiet.

"We fell asleep, and it's about half an hour past dinner, we should go back." she whispered. Draco nodded his head feebly and agreed. Neither could really believe how fast the time had gone by. They gathered their things and exited the library. However they made a lot of noise, earning them a nasty look from Madame Pince. Draco winked at Hermione and the two began the walk back the great hall. Neither said anything, but although it was quiet, it was not a bad silence. In fact, it was a peaceful one. They walked like that for some time. Then Draco turned to Hermione, about to ask her how she planned to deal with Ron, when Hermione let out a squeak and her legs became entangled in her robes and she fell, crashing to the floor with an alarming force. She cried out in pain as her head smacked into the floor.

"Damnit!" she exclaimed, gritting her teeth in pain. Draco heard someone snickering from behind him and turned around angrily to confront the person, only to meet the cool brown eyes of Pansy Parkinson. Her arms were crossed, her wand dangling dangerously in her hand. Draco was sure she had jinxed Hermione to fall. She was sneering down at her and Draco felt heat rise to his face.

"What the hell did you do that for?" he snapped. Pansy raised her eyebrow and uncrossed her arms.

"You shouldn't talk that way to your betters, Gryffindor." she spat. Draco could not believe that Pansy was being so cold to him. Him, Draco Malfoy! Then he remembered that she didn't know it was him. She thought he was a stupid naive new student.

"She did nothing to you!" Draco shouted at her. He then bent down to help Hermione up and the girl took his hand thankfully. Pansy shrugged her shoulders in a careless way.

"She's a mudblood. Here mere existence is a problem for me." she said coolly. Draco reached for his wand and pulled it out, much to the surprise of both Pansy and Hermione.

"Take that back." he said. Pansy was surprised by his action but made no mention of it.

"You're new. So I'll forgive you for that. Take some advice girl, there are two kinds of people in this school; the right ones and the wrong ones. Don't associate with the other kind. The mudblood here isn't worth your time. Make friends with the right people and you wont have to deal with that trash anymore." she propositioned. Draco could practically feel the anger pumping through his veins.

"What, you think that just because she's a half-blood that you're better than her? Well you aren't. You might be pureblood but you're a bitch and you'll let half the Hufflepuff boys stick their hands up your shirt if they ask. Hermione is a kind person. She's smart, she has self-respect, and I'd take her over you any day. You're the trash, not her." he snapped. Pansy widened her eyes.

"Fine. But you just ruined the rest of your life here, I'll see to that." she said bitterly. Then she turned around and stalked off angrily. Draco smiled, noticing that she didn't bother to contradict his accusations of her being a slut and a bitch. How could she? It was true. He was reminded of Hermione's presence when she tapped his arm, bringing him back into reality.

"What?" he asked. Hermione shook her head, smiling softly.

"Thank you." she said. Draco shrugged his shoulders.

"No problem. She had it coming." he said. He noticed that Hermione was staring at him intently, a thought having obviously just occurred to her.

"What now?" he questioned.

"You've changed, Slytherin Prince." she said, a small smile playing about her lips. Draco raised his eyebrows.

"How do you figure that?"

"Well look at what you just did. You defend me to Pansy, and turned down her offer of friendship. It's kind of funny. You made the same offer to Harry once." she explained. Draco thought about it. Had he really made an offer similar to that to Potter? Yes, he had. In his first year he had offered Potter his friendship. But had he really changed? Draco found the thought that he had changed very unsettling. He was still the cold hearted Slytherin, wasn't he? He shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh." was all he said in reply. After that an awkward silence hung stiffly in the air. In silent mutual agreement, the duo began walking quietly to the great hall. Both had thoughts weighing heavily on their minds. They reached the hall to find it almost completely deserted. A few kids lingered eating, so Hermione and Draco took a seat at the Gryffindor table and eyed the left over's. Not much looked appetizing. Dirty plates spanned across the tables, bits of food and drink splattered about. Here and there a few pieces of recognizable food was seen, but it didn't look good. Hermione tried to ignore her growling stomach, but couldn't. An idea suddenly popped into her head and she grinned mischievously.

"Follow me." she told Draco. He'd been picking over the food on the table and turned to her confused.

"What?" he asked. She just smiled and motioned for him to follow her. And for some reason he did. After all, what else did he have to do but pick over disgusting leftovers? He stayed behind her as she winded her way to the main staircase, stopping only to open a seemingly random door on the right. He ducked in the entranced and closed the door behind him They followed the corridor that it opened to until they came to a painting of a bowl of fruit. Draco thought Hermione must have become completely bonkers. His fears were confirmed when she began to tickle- yes, tickle the pear in the portrait. Just as he was beginning to ask if this was some sort of an odd joke, the pear became a doorknob and Hermione twisted it, the painting opened up to reveal a large room with a great amass of pots, pants, tables, and one large fireplace. Draco stared in wonder and could only guess that this was the kitchen. House elves swarmed them as soon as they walked in, each one had the expression of a loyal dog. The one nearest to Hermione, whom was wearing a great many knitted hats, spoke to her. Draco faintly thought he recognized the elf.

"What can Dobby do for Miss. Hermione?" The elf asked in a squeaky voice. Hermione smiled at Dobby, whom Draco just now realized with horror was his old house elf.

"We missed dinner, do you have anything we might be able eat?" she asked. Dobby said that they in fact didn't have anything, but that they would happily make something for her and her friend. That's when the elf noticed Draco and gasped.

"Surely Miss. Hermione does not realize who she is with!" he exclaimed. Hermione frowned.

"This is Diana, the new exchange student ,Dobby." she lied. The house elf just shook his head and pointed a shaky finger at Draco.

"Dobby would recognize those eyes anywhere Miss. Granger! This is Draco Malfoy who you is with!" he exclaimed dramatically. Hermione sighed and decided to fess up.

"Yes, this is Draco. But Draco isn't as bad as his father. Dobby, he really is ok." she said. Dobby still looked nervously at Draco but seemed to accept Hermione's word for it. A question however burned incessantly at his mouth.

"How did Master Malfoy get like this?" he questioned. Draco began to answer when Hermione poked him. Apparently she thought it was best that she tell the story.

"There was an err- accident. Draco is stuck like this until we can work on a counter spell." she explained. Dobby squinted his eyes to look at Draco then nodded his little head.

"If Miss Granger says so." he said doubtfully. The little house elf then left, presumably to get food. He soon brought them several platters arrayed with delicious looking meals- too many really. There were at least ten, each one heaped with food. After pondering the selection, Draco selected two turkey legs, some mashed potatoes, and carrots. As he did so he was careful not to meet Dobby's eyes.

"Um, I'm sorry Dobby. I really, uh, am." he said. He felt bad for his mistreatment of the elf. True, he didn't abuse Dobby but he never intervened when Lucious had. Dobby's eyes filled with tears.

"Tis' alright, Master Draco. Dobby forgives." he said, his voice choked with emotion. To show that he forgave Draco, he added several sweets to both his and Hermione's platters. Before they were done eating, the pair had consumed more food than they would have thought humanly possible. As they left, Dobby and a few of the other elves invited them to come back again. Draco assured them that he would. Once him and Hermione entered the hall, Draco questioned her about her knowledge of the kitchens. The brunette smiled mysteriously.

"I learned it's location from a friend, that's all." she said. Draco was still curious but allowed her to keep her secret. Hermione didn't really want to rat on Fred and George and so had decided to keep their part in her knowledge of the location a secret. Hermione and Draco reached the common room quickly, as there were no students in the hallways to deal with. Although they were quick they still had to wake the Fat Lady, who turned out to be a very grouchy person when awoken. She ranted for a while about responsibility and mischief, but they made it inside as quietly as possible. The common room was deserted, everyone had already gone to bed. Hermione quietly set down her books and stretched happily. Draco admired her secretly for a minute, then she broke his daze.

"Gosh I'm tired. I'm going to go ahead and go to bed. You can stay up for a while longer or come up now." she said, then yawned. Draco said that he was pretty tired himself and that he'd go ahead and go to bed also. They walked quietly up the stairs, stepping extra lightly as to not wake Lavender or Parvati. Hermione immediately went to the bathroom to change; Draco just did it in the dorm. Everyone else was asleep, he figured, so it didn't matter. He then snuggled down into his bed, still careful to be quiet. He heard Hermione turn on one of the water faucets and patter around the bathroom. Girls sure did take forever in the bathroom, he thought. Eventually she emerged in her night gown and after checking to make sure that she wasn't going to set on Crookshanks, she laid down. A heavy silence hung stiffly in the air between them after that. Draco thought he should say something, but he didn't know what to say. Finally he decided to simply just tell her goodnight.

"Goodnight" he said awkwardly. Hermione smiled, her teeth illuminated in the dark. She had been wondering which one of them would break the silence first.

"Goodnight" she replied. She turned over and pulled her blanket closer to her. However sleep did not come easy. The actions of their day kept running through her mind.

Hermione hadn't realized it at the time, but when she had mentioned to Draco that he had made the same offer to Harry before, it showed just how much he had changed. True, they had only been 'friends' for a day or so, but he was really becoming a different person. She wondered what was going to happen when he was back to being himself, Draco Malfoy and not Diana Albert. Would he go back to referring to her as Mudblood? Hermione didn't want to admit it, but she was also beginning to sort of enjoy Draco's company. Unlike Harry or Ron, Draco understood what it was like to have the pressure of being perfect academically. She felt that, given the chance to know one another better, they could be friends. But did Hermione really want to be friends? And would they stay friends after his change? Hermione didn't know the answer to those questions. She sighed and rolled over. It was no use thinking so much, she needed sleep. After a while she began to drift off, not realizing that Draco was having a hard time sleeping as well.

Draco tossed in his bed. He couldn't get what Hermione had said about him changing out of his head. Had he really changed that much? What if, when he was a guy again, he was changed? What if he wasn't? He didn't know how he was going to be able to ever hate Hermione again after spending this much time with her. And there was more to it than that. Draco really liked talking to Hermione. Goyle and Crabbe were ok people, but he could not have an intelligent conversation with them. But he could with Hermione. She knew about books and history better than a pureblood witch did. She understood him in a way that no one had. Both were pressured by their parents to be perfect, and both had unrealistic images of perfection to strain to uphold. Even though Draco had tried ignoring it, he obviously had developed some unwanted feelings for her. Friendship, or more, Draco didn't know. But they complicated things. What it all boiled down to was; was Draco still the Slytherin Prince? Or was Hermione Granger slowly turning him into a Gryffindor Teddy Bear?


	8. Secrets revealed and bullies confronted

Gender Changing Toffees Chapter Eight:

**Secrets revealed and Bullies confronted**

Hermione woke up that morning feeling refreshed and energized. It had taken her a while to get to sleep the night before, but once she was asleep she slept peacefully and dreamlessly. She sat up in her bead and stretched her arms above her head until she heard a satisfying pop from her shoulders. It was just five in the morning and Hermione was an early riser. Suppressing a yawn she glanced to the other beds in the room. No one else was awake yet. Her gaze lingered slightly on the sleeping form of Draco and some of her confused thoughts from the night before blossomed in her mind. She shoved them out quickly and forced herself to get out of bed. She tiptoed quietly, careful not to wake any of the sleeping girls. It took her no time at all to gather her things and get dressed. Once prepared for the school day in front of her she headed for the common room. There was still about an hour or so before classes would begin so she sat down on the couch and stared lazily into the fire. Her mind was troubled. So many things to think about! The persistent musings from last night came back to her and this time she thought about them. Was Draco really changing, she wondered? How She was still immersed in her thoughts when suddenly she heard a noise behind her and turned around to see a tall figure looming over her. Hermione let out a shrill shriek and covered her mouth immediately to quiet herself. Her shock was replaced by anger when she recognized the black-haired rumpled boy smiling sheepishly at her.

"You scared me to death Harry Potter!" She exclaimed. Harry smiled in amusement and put a finger to his lips.

"Quiet, you'll wake the whole bloody school." he teased, "Besides, I didn't mean to. How was I to know that you were up?" Hermione blushed at her foolishness and invited him to set beside her, which he did.

"How come you're up so early?" she questioned. Harry shrugged his shoulders and yawned sleepily.

"Neville was snoring again and I couldn't catch a wink of sleep." He explained. Hermione smiled apologetically. Neville's snores were said to travel all the way to the Ravenclaw common room.

"Sorry for getting upset, it was just that I didn't expect you to be down here." Hermione apologized. Harry gave her one of his famous lopsided grins and shrugged his shoulders yet again.

"It's ok." He said. Then, after taking just one glance at her face, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Hermione replied automatically. Although there was a great deal wrong. The main being Draco Malfoy stuck in a woman's body. Harry stared at her for a minute and shook his head.

"No Mione, I can tell that something's bothering you. What is it?" he asked. Hermione sighed and stared into the fireplace in front of her. Oh how she wanted to tell him! Perhaps if she did she wouldn't feel so alone in the burden of what was going on. She had to bite her lip to keep the past few days events from spilling out of her mouth. Harry saw her distress and put his arm around her comfortingly. Hermione was soothed by his touch and smiled shakily. She hated to keep anything a secret from him.

"I don't think I can tell you." she said. Harry looked bewildered but nodded his head.

"Ok, Mione. But you know you can tell me anything, ok? I mean, if you ever need to talk to someone I'm here for you." he told her.

"I know Harry. It's just…Oh I how want to tell you! Dumbledore did forbid me to tell, but I think that he would be ok if I told you, but I'm just not sure. And oh. It's so confusing…" she knew she was rambling but she could not seem to stop the current of words from flowing through her lips. "Oh Harry promise that you won't tell?" she asked him. Harry had no idea what she was talking about but he nodded his head. He'd learned from experience with women over the years that when you were confused about something they said, it was best to just nod your head.

"Of course not, I promise." He told her. Hermione sighed with relief then proceeded to tell him everything that had happened. She told him about Draco being Diana and how she was going to work on the counter potion and everything. When she was done she looked at Harry to see how well he was absorbing the information. He looked slightly confused, but other than that perfectly alright.

"Wow, that's a lot to take in at once." he said slowly. Hermione braced himself to yell at her in outrage for keeping the thing a secret from him, but he surprised her by laughing. "So let me get this right, Ron's hitting on _Malfoy?_" He asked. Hermione joined him in his laughter.

"Well, yes, I suppose so. But he's really changed, Harry." she told him. Harry stopped laughing and concern was etched across his handsome face.

"Hermione are you becoming friends with Malfoy? You know he will never really change." he said. Hermione shook her head at Harry's words.

"No, he really is changing. I- I'm not saying that we're friends but Draco is becoming a…nicer person." she finished. Harry just shook his head in a very 'whatever' manner.

"I just don't want to see you get hurt or disappointed, that's all." Hermione's eyes filled up with tears. Harry was so kind to her, he was just worried about her.

"Thank you for worrying about me, but I'll be fine." she assured him. Then, to Harry's surprise and joy, she kissed him on the cheek. He smiled that horribly adorable lop-sided grin again and Hermione felt something in the deep pit of her stomach lurch at the sight. He opened his mouth to say something, but was disrupted when a very irate Draco entered the room. His hair hung down his back in cascading blonde waves and he pointed his finger angrily at Hermione. Harry had a hard time believing that this was the once regal Draco Malfoy.

"You-you told him!" he exclaimed angrily. Hermione looked from Harry to Draco and sighed.

"Yes, I told Harry. But you'd better calm down about it before you wake the whole of Gryffindor." she snapped. However the warning came too late, doors were already beginning to open a pattering of feet on the stairs were heard. Draco turned to Harry and sneered.

"Fine, you just keep your mouth shut Potter, do you hear me?" he demanded. Harry looked like he wanted to do nothing more than hit Draco but he refrained after Hermione gave him a warning look. Instead he nodded his head. At that moment Dean and Neville entered the room, yawning from just waking up.

"Watcha all doin down here?" Dean asked sleepily. The three just shrugged their shoulders and Hermione said that her and Diana were going to go ahead and go to the great hall so that she could show her where their classes would be. The fake excuse to leave was accepted by all the students- although a few did comment that they were bloody well insane for getting up so early. Hermione said goodbye to Harry- giving him a very obvious I'll-talk-to-you-later look. He smiled softly at her and then Hermione and Draco quickly left the common room. The second they got into the hallway Draco turned angrily to her and got onto her for telling Harry.

"How could you Hermione? He'll tell Ron! And then the whole bloody school will know and my dad will find out and…how could you?" he stormed, stomping his foot in a very womanly way. Hermione sighed and shook her head at his accusations.

"Harry won't tell anyone, Draco. Just trust me, okay?" she asked him. Draco shrugged his shoulders and dropped the subject for the time being. It wouldn't be good for him and Hermione to fight- she was the only person right now that knew what he was going through and he needed her around. Besides, if they were to fight then she might suddenly find that she couldn't help him very much. He was in a situation where no matter what Hermione did, he needed to forgive her.

"Sorry, I'll drop it." he told her. Hermione raised her eyebrow in surprise at his easy defeat and smiled to herself.

"Thank you. Hey- we take a right here. We're going to potions, remember?" she corrected him as he tried to turn a corner. Draco sighed at his stupidity and followed her down the corridor to the potions room. He wondered what it would be like to set in class and have to pretend to be Diana. Would anyone notice his act? He pondered this while absentmindedly staring at Hermione's back in front of him. Suddenly he wanted nothing more to grab her by the waist, spin her around, and kiss her. When had Granger gotten so pretty? Draco groaned inwardly and tried to suppress his feelings for Hermione. Well, not feelings. More like animalistic urges. Yes, that was it. Because of course he didn't feel for Hermione, he just wanted to kiss her. There was a difference…right? He was so lost in his thoughts that he hardly even noticed when they arrived at their destination. Hermione pushed open the dungeon door with a good shove and smiled at Draco in a "good luck" way. They walked in to find that very few students were already in the gloomy room- three besides themselves. Two were Hufflepuff girls whom Draco faintly recognized and the third was the unmistakable form of Neville Longbottom. It was rumored he came in early to study extra hard for the class- everyone knew he had a huge amount of trouble making passing marks. Neville glanced Hermione and Draco and smiled. He waved for them to come and set over by him.

"Good morning, Neville" Hermione greeted him smiling. Draco couldn't help but smile with her. She looked so pretty when she smiles, the way her whole face light up- it reached all the way to her eyes…STOP IT! Draco mentally slapped himself and managed to forget about Hermione's dazzling smile for a while.

"What are you doing here so early without Harry or Ron?" Neville asked curiously. Hermione usually came in just before class started with Harry and Ron at her side. He paused a moment then asked about Draco, "And are you with the new transfer student?"

"Sorry for not introducing you sooner. Neville this is Diana, from America. Diana this is one of my friends Neville Longbottom." she said. Neville blushed at Diana and said it was very nice to meet her. Draco just smiled awkwardly and said it was very nice to meet him as well. It was a little weird for him being so close to and befriending someone he usually would torment. However he smiled pleasantly and took a seat next to Hermione, leaving her between him and Neville. The three just sat there for a while before Draco realized that Snape wasn't in the room.

"Where is Snape?" he asked Neville. Draco happened to know that the potions master was usually in the room very early, and it was unusual for him to be late. Neville shrugged his shoulders and explained that he didn't know where Snape was but he heard from someone that they might be having a substitute that day. When he said that Hermione frowned slightly. It wasn't like Snape to miss class. Could he be working on the antidote to the Weasley's candy? She hoped that he was, and that he wasn't ill or something. They wouldn't be able to do much without his help. Hermione chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully and pondered the professor's absence when suddenly the dungeon door was thrown open and in walked none other than Pansy Parkinson, trailed by three or four of her friends. Her eyes quickly met Hermione's and she sneered angrily.

"Great. Another class with the mudblood. How many times a day am I forced to look upon her hideous face and set near her tainted blood?" she asked sarcastically. It was not an actual question at all, but more a challenge. And everyone in the class knew it for their heads snapped to Hermione awaiting her reply. Of course Hermione would give one. But not the kind Pansy probably expected. She smiled slightly, raised an eyebrow into a perfect arch and turned sweetly to Pansy.

"If you are looking for a fight, you certainly won't find one here. Violence solves nothing Pansy. Besides, I have much better things to do then argue with the likes of you." she told her. For a minute Pansy looked slightly confused, obviously she was expecting Hermione to throw a punch or yell. But her composure only faltered for a moment before she bit back.

"Upset because your Ronnykins choose Lavender over you? Maybe he just doesn't like the taste of mudblood." she spat. Hermione's lips became very thin as she pressed them together and she didn't even really think before she retorted.

"Not a very bright insult, considering I don't have feelings for Ron. But then again Pansy, you aren't one for being very bright. So perhaps it's the best that you could do." Hermione snapped coldly. At this Pansy's eyes flared and she began to hastily push up the sleeves of her shirt.

"You're right, I'm not much good at fighting with words. But I bloody well am with my fists!" she exclaimed loudly, and with that lunged straight towards Hermione. The poor Gryffindor didn't even have time to react, but Pansy's flaring fists never touched her. For at the exact moment before her clenched hand made contact with Hermione's face, something stopped it. Hermione looked beside her to see Draco Malfoy's face beet red and his body shaking with anger. His hand was clamped over Pansy's slightly lager one and his perfectly heart shaped lips were pursed with un expressed anger. As he stared at Pansy one could imagine daggers piercing her very skin.

"Don't…you…ever…touch…her!" he spoke harshly between clenched teeth and tight lips. Pansy stared in slight horror at this bold girl who dared to confront her.

"Who do you think you are?" she asked angrily. Suddenly recognition lit her eyes and she snarled in disgust at Draco, "You're that new kid. Didn't I already warn you to stop hanging around such filth?" Draco gripped her hand tighter and frowned.

"My name is Dr-Diana. I wasn't frightened by your threats earlier and I still am not right now. I stand by what I said, and I'll repeat that Hermione is a billion times a better person then you will ever be. And if you ever lay another hand upon her, so help me Merlin if I don't kill you." he told her. The tone of his voice was deep and low and everyone in the room knew that Draco meant every word he said. Just then Hermione noticed Neville, Harry and Ron behind her, Harry with a hand on Hermione's shoulder. They glared at Pansy with a passion equal to Draco's. Pansy knew her friends were behind her and would back her up if need be. There would probably have been a fight right then and there if the doors had not just opened and a small robed wizard walked in. She took one look at Draco and Pansy and sighed.

"Ladies, please set down." she told them warily. Pansy's eyes met Draco's briefly and she gave him a look that wuite obviously said "I'll get you for this". But her and her friends all obeyed the teacher and say down, they wouldn't be any more trouble, at least for now. Hermione's companions all did the same and the tension slowly left the room. The lady, whoever she was, waited patiently at her desk for the class to be quiet. Hermione frowned slightly with puzzlement. Who was this woman? Her question would soon be answered. The petite woman turned to the class, her mouth set into a nervous smile.

"Good morning class. I am here to substitute for Professor Snape. He had some very urgent business come up and asked me to fill in for him. I, by the way, am Professor Periwink. I'm actually retired but I do tend to sub once and a while. Er…any questions?" she asked in a very small and light voice. The class shook their heads and the tiny woman smiled happily. She pointed to Hermione's textbook and asked her where they were at in the book. Hermione told her they were on chapter 43 and studying antidotes for bad luck potions. The teacher thanked her then told the class to please read through the chapter and write a summary for it due in two class periods. The class sighed with relief. That was nothing compared to what they were usually given. And the chapter itself was a mere fifteen pages long. Most of the students merely glanced at their textbooks and began chatting amongst themselves. It was quite obvious to them that it was a free day and they knew they could finish the assignment later. But there were a few students who hastily opened up their books and began the assignment immediately. Ron, Draco, and Harry were in the first category but Hermione in the latter. Harry chuckled at her and closed her book.

"Mione we can do that later! Don't you want a break?" he asked her. Hermione shook her head, annoyed that he would disrupt her work.

"Give my book back." she told him. But when Harry just grinned at her and it became apparent that he was not giving up the book, Hermione sighed and gave up. She crossed her arms over her chest in a very annoyed manner but made no move to reach for her book.

"That's better." Harry said teasingly. Hermione just rolled her eyes and turned to Draco, who was on her right.

"Thanks for standing up for me, again." she told him softly. Draco actually had two faint spots of scarlet appear on his cheeks when she thanked him…no wait, Draco never blushed. Hermione concluded that Draco must have felt a hot draft of some sort for as soon as it came, the blush was gone. He told her in a very friendly manner that she was welcome. Harry meanwhile looked from one to the other, knowing that Diana was really Draco and knowing that standing up for Hermione was something that must have taken a lot for him to do.

"Yeah, thanks…Diana." he said. Draco looked up at him in surprise. Not only did Harry just thank him, but by calling Draco Diana he made it clear that he was not going to give away Draco's secret. Draco sighed with relief and actually smiled a little at Harry. However a female Draco smiling at him proved to be a tad too much for Harry and he sort of grimaced. Draco abruptly stopped smiling and actually laughed a little. He would never get used to this woman's body, or the charms it could have over men. Ron noticed the tension in the air and began to laugh beside Harry.

"Harry do you fancy Diana?" he asked with humor. Harry's eyes widened and he nearly retched. He knew Ron did not know Diana's real identity but the mere thought of him fancying Draco was beyond repulsive. On many levels. He glared at Ron and shook his head in disgust. Draco couldn't help but realize that he had a wonderful opportunity to have some fun. He smiled slightly and turned to Ron.

"Harry? I was sort of thinking you fancied me." he said sweetly, making sure to bat his thick eyelashes seductively. Ron's mouth gaped open and he stared at Draco.

"M-me?" he asked in a squeaky voice that let everyone listening know that he indeed did have a thing for Draco. Draco just smiled coyly then bent to whisper in his ear.

"As it happens, I have a thing for red heads." he told Ron. Ron blushed scarlet and glanced nervously in the direction of Lavender. The two had had a small spat the night before so she was setting with some of her other friends. Lavender was shooting daggers at them both and she got up in a very angry huff and walked out the door. The scene was witnessed by around half the class. Ron gulped and shook his head.

"I've got a girlfriend. But um…well talk to me if that changes." he said quietly, trying very hard not to be overheard. However it was all in vain for at least four people around him heard and all whispered it to their friends. Ron's romances had turned into quite the sage for the school. The by now highly embarrassed Ron blushed again and ran out the door, hurrying to catch up with Lavender. Hermione, Harry, and Draco all chuckled lightly. Suddenly Hermione made a small animal noise- what animal is unknown- and opened her text book. She glared at Harry and pointed a finger at him.

"Harry Potter we haven't even started on our homework yet! Get out your books, we'll begin this instant!" she exclaimed. Harry laughed and shook his head in an amused manner. He could have teased Hermione further but instead took out his text book. Sometimes with women it was just best not to argue. Draco did likewise. Soon the three appeared to be deeply engrossed in their homework. But every time Hermione's arm brushed Harry's, a bright streak of scarlet flashed across his cheek. And anytime her hand bumped Draco's, likewise happened. Hermione didn't notice any of this, but every time she sat her pen to her parchment she wondered a little more what was going to happen to them all once Draco was back into his body.

**Meanwhile in the room of requirement…**

Severus Snape was desperate. The weary potions professor sighed and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. His dark eyes scanned all of the objects in front of him. Cauldron, plant leaves, extracts of several different flowers, some candy, candy wrappers, quills, parchment, vials of potions, several different animal hairs, a dragon's scale, basically anything and everything he could need. But not any way to determine how he should use them. Objects kept popping up magically every time a new idea snapped into his head. Already the room was being quite cluttered and Snape could not resist a grimace if distaste. He would much rather be in his cold dark potions room then in this one. But this was the room of requirement and Snape could magically summon any ingredient he needed. Plus his room was currently occupied with students. Students with a substitute teacher at that. Snape snorted and frowned. He hated leaving his pupils with an under-qualified person, even if for a day. And Snape was beginning to wonder if perhaps this would take longer than just one day. He made a mental note to strangle the Weasley twins the next time he laid eyes upon their ginger heads. Who would have known those two were capable of such a complex trick? They certainly had not acted like it when in school. Though he hated to admit it, not only were the twins brilliant but it seemed they had created something that even Snape could not figure out. There was only action for him to take, he must summon the twins. Sighing yet again, and thinking that he was going to get a few new gray hairs from this, he picked up a piece of parchment and after hesitating briefly, wrote a letter to the devious two.

_Fred and George Weasley,_

_I have been assigned to correct the horrible act you have performed on Draco Malfoy. I am perfectly capable of doing so on my own, but Albus Dumbledore has insisted upon your being here. You are to meet me, Granger, and Malfoy at Hogwarts in the room of requirement tomorrow morning. It may take the entire day before we finish, so be prepared. I take it you already know where the room is._

_-Professor Severus Snape_

Snape scanned the letter quickly then sealed it with a characteristic Slytherin crest. Ten minutes later an owl was flying as quickly as it's wings could take it to the Weasley's shop. If all went well, they would have a cure by the next afternoon. But of course, that would be with the Weasley's cooperation. And something told Severus Snape that the Weasleys would not exactly cooperate.

* * *

Hey, thanks for waiting so long for this newest chapter! I started it back around Christmas time and just now got to finishing it. And actually, I thank jazzymine91 for that. I had actually just given up on this from lack of inspiration and time when I got up to find a message from her asking me to continue. Well at the time I decided to take another try at it and the result was this chapter. I hope I'll be a lot more regular in the future with the timming on my updates. And I hope that everyone enjoyed this! Reviews are much appreciated :)

-Emmalee14

And of course, thanks to the reviewers of the previous chapter:

emmablk1: Pfft, don't lie. You did too forget about me. Some BETA you are. Pfft. Okay I forgive you, you know I love ya. You weren't here for this chapter either so I had to get Molly to BETA for me yet again. But oh well, I still love you.

Dumbledork: Awh thanks, I like the description of "heartwarming" :)

Bailei's Fallen: lol, thanks. It is weird, but weird is what I love!

THE-GIRL-WHO-CRIED-WOLF: I'm sorry I didn't update soon. Took me six months nearly :( But I hope you forgive me and read it anyways!

And special thanks to my sister, Molly. And on a note for the future, the more reviews I get the sooner I might manage to have a new chapter up :)


	9. Once a Slytherin, always a Slytherin

Gender Changing Toffees Chapter Nine:

Once a Slytherin, always a Slytherin

"_I am perfectly capable of doing so on my own, but Albus Dumbledore has insisted upon your being here…_Which means that the arrogant bloke needs our help because he can't figure out how to come up with an antidote himself. I bet Dumbledore didn't tell him a thing." George Weasley said as he and his twin brother read the letter just owled to them by their once Professor, Severus Snape. He put the letter down and stroked his chin thoughtfully. His brother Fred was snickering quietly to himself.

"I know, right? He's probably put out that he's being bested by the Weasley Twins."

George sighed and stretched his arms over his head. "Stupid greasy git. And we were going to meet up with Bill and try to goad him into getting us a couple of Dragon's scales! Guess we'll have to put a hold on that. I have a feeling Snape is going to make us do most the work. We'll have to find some way to make this fun."

"Well I suppose we should bring the notes we took when we made the Toffee's. That can give us a place to start-" Fred began.

"What? And ruin all the fun of watching Snape beg us for help? I say we bring them but don't show them until we have to. I want to see Snape admit that we're smart enough to do something he can't figure out. Besides, it will be fun," George said, smiling wickedly. Fred thought about it and agreed with his twin. He picked up a not-yet-hexed chocolate and popped it in his mouth, grinning evilly as the sweet dissolved on his tongue. They would try to be as least a bit of help to Snape as they could manage to be, and have a bit of fun at the same time.

"Draco…Draco get up!"

Draco Malfoy groaned with annoyance and rolled over on his side. He did not want to get up.

"Go away" he muttered sleepily. But of course though it sounded like that in his head, it came out more like, "Gurray"

His waker, most certainly Hermione, sighed and did the only thing she could think to do. She ripped off his comfortable, warm covers, leaving him suddenly cold and bare. Draco made some kind of noise and sat up straight in bed.

"All RIGHT! I'm up! I was getting up anyways, you didn't have to rip my covers off." he grumbled sleepily. Hermione rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in a manner that told him she was not in the mood. Any other day she would have probably laughed at his confused, sleepy face, but not today.

"Draco Malfoy I tried three times to get you up before I did that! And we're going to be late! Snape asked us to meet him in the room of requirement at nine o'clock sharp. And it's already eight thirty!" she stomped her foot angrily. Draco held up his hands in defeat and glanced around him. It looked as if the rest of the girls had already left for the morning, it was just him and Hermione. She was ready to go and already dressed, just waiting on him. He sighed and told her he would be ready in five minutes. Well of course as all girls know, five minutes is in actuality at least fifteen.

Five minutes my arse, Hermione thought angrily as Draco entered the common room twenty minutes later. Of course the extra time had been more than worthwhile, he looked stunning and pretty, any boy's jaw would drop from just one glance at him. But Hermione was no boy and was very impatient. Her eye's narrowed as she noticed the skirt Draco was wearing. It was a plaid mini her mum had bought for her before school started.

"Draco! You're wearing my skirt, you can't just do that!" she exclaimed. Draco grinned and gave her a playful wink.

"Oh why not? It looks great on me. As long as I have these legs, I might as well show them off. Besides, it's a bit on the short side for you, I couldn't imagine you wearing it." Hermione grumbled something inaudible and Draco grinned even bigger.

"Okay, point made." she finally said, "but we need to hurry, Snape told us to be there at nine sharp. Unless you enjoy wearing women's clothing so much you've decided to keep this change permanent." she teased lightly. Perhaps she'd gotten over the near-tardiness and her humor was returning. Draco hoped so, Hermione was never any fun when she was mad.

"Ugh, no way! I'd choose boxers to these stringy things any day. No, I won't miss this body at all." he said. Hermione burst out laughing and Draco asked her what was so funny.

"Are you wearing a thong, Draco?" she asked between giggles. Draco glared at her and suddenly felt very self conscious. He thought all girls wore thongs. Pansy did…okay so maybe she was on the skanky side, but still.

"Yeah, so?" he asked, annoyed. Hermione shook her head and chuckled.

"Most girls don't. Only the bolder, more uh…active girls tend to. In my opinion anyways. Besides, their bloody uncomfortable." she said. Then she blushed and it was Draco's turn to grin.

"Hermione Granger, are you telling me you've worn a thong before?" he asked, unbelievingly. Hermione blushed even harder and she started to walk out of the common room.

"No…of course not." she said, trying to sound like she was telling the truth. Hermione was a bad liar. Draco laughed and gazed at her approvingly.

"Mmm, I think that's turning me on Granger," he drawled slowly. Hermione hit his arm, horrified at the thought of turning Draco on, and told him if he planned on being on time, he'd better follow her or she was leaving him behind. He chuckled and followed her to the Room of Requirement. To think…Hermione had worn a thing. He laughed again, earning a bad look form Hermione. It was one of her warning looks, and Draco shut up. He was quiet the rest of the way there, although he was dying from laughter inside.

"Welcome Mr. Malfoy, Mrs. Granger." Severus Snape greeted the two students as they walked into the Room of Requirement. The Weasley twins were already there- looking very proud and pleased with themselves. The same could hardly be said for Snape, who looked embarrassed about the whole situation. He could hardly even look at Draco as he directed them over to the table he had set up for the potions.

"Where are we going to start at, Professor?" Hermione asked the Potions Master. She got straight to the point, she wanted to begin as soon as possible.

"I was hoping the Weasley's would give us some insight on how this toffee came to be made." he said, looking at Fred and George. Fred shrugged and grinned a little.

"Sorry, Severus, we threw out all notes we took." he told Snape. Snape turned slightly red and glared at Fred.

"It's Professor Snape to you, and that was a very stupid thing to do. Exactly something I would expect from you though." he replied coldly. George raised an eyebrow and stood up to examine the potion ingredients Snape had selected for them to use.

"Well, Snape, looks like you're going to have to rely on our memory. As it comes to us. And it might come faster if you start being nicer."

Snape sighed and ran a hand through his oily black hair. It wasn't the time to argue. Instead of answering back with a sly comment, he just glared at the twins and an awkward silence ensued. Hermione broke it suddenly, and he turned to her, surprised she had said anything. He expected most of the work to be done by himself and the Weasleys.

"Professor, shouldn't we start by examining the ingredients of the toffee?" she asked.

"I started that last night actually, this is a list I compiled so far." he reached over and grabbed a sheet of parchment which he handed to Hermione. She scanned it quickly, recognizing most of the listed items. It would have to be mostly guesswork then, since these were very general and common ingredients. She sighed, pulled up her sleeves, pinned back her hair, and then the real work started.

"Boomslang?"

"Here." George tossed Hermione a very fragile bottle of the item she called for. Snape growled and looked up from the book he was engrossed in as the bottle sailed gracefully through the air.

"Don't throw those!" he shouted.

"Murdock root?"

"Ah, here's one." Fred tossed Hermione a bit of Murdock root. It would have hit Snape, had he not ducked. Hermione couldn't help but chuckle as she caught the root. She was randomly combining and mixing ingredients in a mad frenzy. And like most mad frenzies, this wasn't getting her anywhere.

"Oh this would be so much simpler if we had those notes you two took when you made it!" she complained. Snape sighed and set down his book. He'd given up on guesswork and was now researching different types of common antidotes.

"Weasleys, it appears that we are getting nowhere. I didn't know you two were capable of creating such a complex item, but it appears you are. However, unless you two prove to be of more assistance then Draco will remain Diana forever," he said. George winked at Hermione behind Snape's back, much to Hermione's surprise, and took out several sheets of parchment from his jacket.

"You meant those notes! Oh, how silly of us, we have those right here." he handed them to Snape, a smirk on his face. They waited just until Snape admitted they had indeed created something brilliant that he couldn't understand. Then they gave him the precious notes.

"What? You had them all along! Why you two little-!" began Snape. He was cut off when Dumbledore and Harry stepped into the room. Dumbledore had a slightly amused look on his face and couldn't hold back a chuckle.

"Are they giving you trouble Severus? Ah, I thought they might. Well, it happens to be lunch time and Fred and George asked me if they could take Harry, Draco, and Hermione out to Hogsmeade for the meal. I think that would be a splendid idea. While they are gone, Severus, you and I shall discuss some private matters." He smiled as the Weasley twins gave each other a high-five and cheered.

"Thanks' Dumbledore! Do you three want to come? George and I know a fantastic little restaurant we go to often."

Hermione beamed, glad to get out of the depressing room- made depressing by Snape's attitude and the difficulty of coming up with an antidote.

"Oh yes, Harry and Draco, you will come too, right?" she asked. Draco winked at her, and Harry nodded his head enthusiastically. Not many trips were permitted to Hogsmeade, except with the school. It was a rare treat. Dumbledore smiled and turned to George.

"I trust you will bring them back in one piece." he teased. George winked at Hermione and shrugged his shoulders.

"Can't make any promises."

"Welcome to the best Italian place you've ever been to," George told Hermione, Draco, and Harry. They were standing inside a very brightly painted building that looked more like a garden then a restaurant. Fred told them that the chef's used only grew freshest ingredients for their food, hence the garden look. They also grew custom grapes which with they made their famous wine. Hermione stared around at her in awe and followed as the twins directed them to their seats. Hermione found them in a booth, herself between Harry and Draco with George and Fred across from them. Their waiter, a handsome Italian man came and handed them menus. To Hermione's great dismay, everything was very expensive. Perhaps she should just get a small salad.

"Why the long face, Hermione?" Fred asked. Hermione smiled and tapped the menu with her finger.

"Well everything's so pricy, I think I'm going to just get a salad," she said. Fred and George shook their heads and Fred took out a shiny round, slightly flat coin. Hermione stared at it without knowing what it was.

"It's sort of like a parallel to your Muggle credit cards. But magical. We're buying everything for everyone today; we have the money. The shops enormously successful, we can afford it. So don't get a salad, get something big and fancy,"

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked. Fred nodded his head and insisted that she choose something she wanted. After a few moments to ponder over their menu's the waiter came back to collect them.

"Your order first Hermione, since you're the lady," Draco told her when the waiter began to take their orders. Hermione blushed, even though this was just a sign of common manners. She told the waiter she would like the four cheese tortellini with some sweet tea.

"I'll have the shrimp Fettuccini Alfredo, al dente please, with a glass of your house wine," George said once the waiter had finished writing her order. The process repeated until everyone had ordered. Their menus were taken and drinks materialized in front of them. George had also requested an appetizer of fried mozzarella cheese, so that appeared instantly as well. Their meals would arrive later. Hermione inhaled the scent of the friend cheese and her stomach growled. She didn't realize that she was hungry until then really.

"Want some, Hermione?" Harry asked. Hermione politely refused, she wanted to save room for her meal.

"What did you order, Draco?" she asked the blonde beside her. He had ordered something in Italian that Hermione didn't recognize.

"Snails actually. I always get them when we go to France, but Italian snails are almost as good as French ones,"

"Snails? You like snails?" Harry asked, a little horrified. Draco smiled and said that they really were good, once you got used to them.

"Like caviar I suppose," Hermione added. Draco nodded his head and told Harry that it was much like caviar was, an acquired taste.

"Oh," Harry replied.

"Have you never had caviar?" Draco asked. Hermione or anyone else mistook his question for genuine curiosity, but Harry and himself knew it to be a secret challenge.

"We weren't all raised to be given what we wanted," Harry countered. It was a good counter too. Now Hermione noticed the tension between them and frowned. They had been friends the other day, and now they were having a testosterone war. Hermione never could, and never would understand the complex world that was man. Both boys quieted and participated in pleasant conversation until their food arrived. The plates were hot and steamy and delicious looking. Hermione stared at her cheesy gooey pasta with happiness and dug in.

"Gradite provare questo ?" Draco asked Hermione, pointing at his snail pasta plate.

Hermione scrunched her nose and looked at the friend slugs. She had tried caviar once and not liked it, she had never tried snails. Draco noticed her hesitation and laughed. He stabbed a snail and twirled a bit of pasta on his fork and held it out to her.

"Come on, just give it a chance," he said. Hermione laughed and meant to take the fork from him. He held it though and she realized he wanted her to bite it off the fork from her. Immediately she felt her face flush slightly. The fork was still held out to her, and without really thinking about what she was doing, she bit the food right off it. Draco smiled and watched her chew it. Hermione felt the rubbery organism bang against her teeth and tried not to gag. Draco reached for a napkin for her to spit out in but Harry handed her one first. Hermione took it gratefully and spit out the partially chewed up snail into it.

"Ugh, sorry, I think that was awful," she said to Draco.

"Well, we can't all love snails like Draco," Harry added. Draco glared at Harry and told Hermione that they just had different tastes in food. As the lunch went on, both Harry and Draco tried to engage Hermione in conversation. When one was talking to her, the other would interrupt. By the time deserts were ordered, Hermione felt like her head was going to explode.

"Want to split a chocolate volcano mud pie with me, Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Or do you want to half a almond maple cake with me?" asked Draco. Hermione stared at them both in wonder and said she'd rather have her own Strawberry Crape. When they ordered their deserts, Harry ordered his chocolate thing and Draco changed his order to a blueberry crape. Both boys offered her bites of theirs, and she accepted both. Then the competition for conversation began again. Fred and George, who for the most part had talked mostly to Harry during the dinner, chuckled at the boys odd displays of affection.

"They both fancy her," Fred said to George

"Their obvious about it. Too bad Hermione isn't into Draco, that'd make for some nice action, wouldn't it?" George replied. Fred snorted and eyed the three teens.

"Five galleons she chooses Harry," George told Fred. Fred shook his head and looked at Draco approvingly.

"No way mate, she's into the dangerous types. I'll take that bet, she's going to choose Draco for sure. Let's raise it to Forty to make things interesting,"

"You have a bet," George replied. The two shook hands and watched the Hogwarts students with interest. Draco's elbow was touching Hermione's, and she didn't make to move it. This pleased Fred and he pointed it out to George. But George made notice that she was leaning in closer to Harry. It would be close, whoever she choose.

--------

Hermione sighed as they made it back to the room of requirement. She had seated herself next to George in the train to perhaps avoid having to be near Harry or Draco, but the boys had just coyly fought with sly words to see who would get to set by her. Harry won when Draco tried to be a gentleman and insisted Harry set by her. He thought Harry would try to be a gentleman as well and refuse, giving Draco the right to. Harry wasn't a gentleman and he ended up setting by Hermione. She had engaged herself in conversation with Fred and George the whole way home to avoid talking to either Draco or Harry. By the time they found Snape, she was ready for a good long nap.

"You took long enough," Snape told the twins.

"Had you wanted to go with us?" George asked innocently. Snape ignored him and pointed to a simmering caldron near the window. Blue liquid drizzled slightly over the end and hissed.

"What's that?" Hermione asked curiously. Snape smirked smugly and tapped the warm pot.

"This is what is going to restore Draco back to his original form," he said proudly. George and Fred looked taken aback, they had obviously not expected him to finish so soon. They didn't want to Snape to know how shocked they were though.

"Took you long enough," Fred said loudly and cheerfully. Snape glowered at them and turned a shade red.

"It would have been done quicker if you two had gave me your notes sooner. I think you did that intentionally,"

"Did what? Intentionally? Severus buddy, we can't help it if you couldn't do the potion any sooner," Fred said sweetly. Snape prepared a long retort- including the threat to never call him Severus again, when Draco interrupted eagerly.

"When can I take it? Now?" he asked. Snape glanced at Draco and momentarily forgot his feud with the twins.

"It will be ready tomorrow, but not now. The potion must have a night to set and settle," he explained. Draco nodded his head and stared in wonder at the potion. A mixture of different feelings and thoughts were rolling through his veins and head. His first response to the news was that he got to be a boy again. He could return to his friends and house and everything would be back to normal. But then he looked at Hermione and saw her face, which was for some reason slightly sad. What about her? What about his new outlook on life, these new unwanted feelings? Draco felt the confusion bubble inside of him and he sighed. He didn't know what he wanted any longer.

"Well, we have to go," George told the three teenagers.

"But you haven't even talked to Ron yet," Hermione persisted. George shrugged his shoulders and yawned.

"Sorry about that, tell him we said hi. But we have to hurry and make it to meet up with Bill and discuss some…business," he explained. They said goodbye to everyone -except Snape, and left. After that everyone else dissipated and after being given instructions to return the next day, Draco left as well. When he got back to the common room he found it in quite a state of chatter.

"What's going on?" he asked Ginny. The fiery Gryffindor rolled her eyes and pointed to a blubbering Lavender.

"She broke up with him," she explained.

"Then why is she the one crying?" Draco asked, amused.

"Who knows, who cares. Ron's looking for you though," she told Draco. Draco stiffened and decided to make quickly to the girls dorm. He didn't know what Ron wanted him for, but if he was heartbroken and devastated…then he was probably like most other dumped blokes and was looking for a warm body to comfort him. Draco would not be that girl. Just as he started up the stairs to the Girls Dorm, Ron cam bounding down from the Boys. Oh no.

"Diana! I'm so glad to see you, I need to ask you something," he said. Draco cringed and smiled tightly.

"What is it?" he asked. Ron sighed, she had such a beautiful voice. Feminine and like silvery bells.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go to the Winder Ball with me?"

Draco had to force himself not to laugh but he couldn't help himself from smiling. Ron wasn't looking for a lover, yet. And Draco would be back to his manly form by the time of the ball. It wouldn't hurt to tell him yes.

"Sure, sounds great," he said, snickering in his mind. Ron beamed and before Draco knew what was happening, he had placed his lips on his own. For a second Draco was still in shock, then he realized that he had Ronald Weasleys lips on his own. Before he could slap him- which was what he was going to do, Ron ran away. He ran away? What kind of a stupid moron runs away after kissing a girl? Draco was disgusted with Ron and himself. He wiped furiously at his lips and frowned. Yuck! He was going to go to the bathroom to brush his teeth a couple of times when he noticed Harry standing by Hermione, close to her. Close as in too close. He watched them for a minute. Harry was asking her something, he could tell by the tilt of his head and wringing of his hands. Hermione listened, then Harry finished. What had he asked? Apparently it was something good because Hermione hugged him and nodded her head. Harry smiled and blushed. Blushed? What had he….? Had he asked her to the Winter Ball?

"Hey Ginny, what just happened?" he asked Ginny, again asking her when he didn't know what was going on.

"Harry asked Hermione to the dance, and she said yes. Why so glum?"

"Nothing," he mumbled and tread up to the stairs. He couldn't believe she had said yes! Why had she told Harry she'd go with him? Did she like him? His disbelief soon turned to anger. He didn't know why he was angry, he knew he shouldn't be, but at the moment he felt like he'd love to hit a wall. He flung open the door to the girls dorm and threw himself on his bed. He heard footsteps on the stairs and the door was creaked open. He knew it was her before she even spoke.

"Draco?" Hermione asked. Draco didn't reply. She walked over to his bed and sat down on it.

"Ginny saw you run up here, what's wrong?" No reply again from Draco. Hermione sighed and pulled back his covers. Draco made an angry noise and rolled so that he was facing her.

"What?" he asked angrily.

"Why are you mad?" Draco pinched up his face and glared at her. As if she didn't know.

"You know why."

"No I don't, tell me why. How can I know?"

"Because Granger, you did it!"

Hermione scoffed and began to get angry herself. "Back to Granger? I don't know what I did and you can't expect me to."

"You are going to the bloody ball with bloody Harry, that's what!"

"And you're upset about that?"

"You like him,"

"What?"

"I see the way you look at him," Draco said. "I know you like him."

"Draco even if I did like Harry, why would that make you mad?"

"Because it just does, okay?"

Hermione was perplexed and confused by Draco's sudden anger. She didn't understand why he was mad over her liking Harry.

"Because why?"

"Just shut up! You don't mean anything to me. You're….well you're just a Mudblood! Yeah, that's right ,a filthy stupid dirty mudblood!" he yelled. Hermione felt like she'd been slapped. He'd just called her a _mudblood. _She felt angry tears well in her eyes and she stood up off the bed.

"After all we've been through, you would still call me that name? Fine Draco, fine. I thought you had changed. I was wrong. You're the same mean, cold, heartless person you always were. I'm going with Harry as a _friend_. You should have thought to ask me that before you lashed into me. I can't believe you!" she yelled right back, crying visibly now. Draco watched her run out of the door and felt the need to hurt her deeply, deeper than he had.

"I hate you! I hate you and I've always hated you! You're nothing but filth, Mudblood!" he yelled after her. Hermione slammed the door behind her and he heart her sob from behind it once before the bang was followed by the sound of her footsteps down the stairs. Draco buried his face in his pillow and screamed. He hadn't really meant to say all of that, he knew he didn't mean it. But he wanted to. He had meant to hurt her, not only because his pride was damaged, but because he cared too much for her. He was going to go back to his normal life in a day. He was going to be Draco Malfoy again, and Draco Malfoy didn't need to be friends with Hermione Granger, Mudblood anyway. If he hated her, if she hated him, then they could go back to their lives normally. Draco sobbed and vowed to never again remember Hermione in anyway that made him miss her. He put away the memory's of their late night talks, their serious discussions, the laughter, the happiness, the friendship. He would bury it forever and become Draco again.

--------------

Hermione cried into Harry's shoulder as he stroked her hair softly. She'd been like that for a while now. When she came down stairs Harry had noticed her distress and whisked her away to the Room of Requirement. There Harry listened to her patiently and murmured all the right things to say. Then he hugged her, and she became like this, crying in his shoulder.

"Oh Harry I thought he would change," she whispered. Harry released her and wiped a few stray tears for her red and sore eyes.

"I know Hermione. I thought he'd changed to. But I guess he didn't," he said sadly. He had noticed the growing friendship between Hermione and Draco with fear and jealousy; he was also scared for her. He knew something like this could very likely happen and he had been right. How he hated him for hurting her! Harry looked at Hermione, who was sniffing, and melted. He knew Draco fancied her, and he knew that all this was probably a defense mechanism of his. But he had hurt Hermione in more than her pride, he'd hurt her in her heart and thoughts. She had believed in him, and he had defied her.

"I want to forget him, I don't want to ever think about him again. I wish…I wish none of this had happened," Hermione whispered. Harry pulled her close to him and held her as her tears came again in full force. They sat like that for a while on the couch in the room of requirement. Eventually Hermione's sobs soothed to sniffles and her heavy breaths fell to calm relaxed ones. A blanket appeared on the couch; Hermione was asleep. Harry pulled it over her and lowered her so that they were laying in the couch. They fell asleep like that together. Neither knew that at that moment, Diana was taking a not-yet ready potion and on her way to becoming Draco again forever.

* * *

I am so sorry about the long time to update. I just realized I have been writing on this for TWO YEARS. Wow. I lost all interest in this and took up another fanfic. I just couldn't get into writing it again. But for some odd reason, I got inspiration. And the desire to finish it. So I've mapped out plans for the rest of it, I think three to four chapters till it's done. I hope you like this one and I promise, this will NOT take three years to finish. lol.

jazzymine91- the one who inspired me to write chapter eight! I hope you like this new one. And I promise, no more month long waits for chapters. Two weeks MAX. I'm already on chapter ten.

mony-hp- Your review for chapter eight (like two months ago) was lovely. Thank you so much :) I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I appreciate you staying reading after that six month long absence last time!

emmablk1- I love you, my BETA! You didn't read this...or my new fic...I mean BETA it, but I love you anyways. :)


	10. Draco Malfoy: Back and fabulous

Gender Changing Toffees Chapter Ten:

Draco Malfoy, back and fabulous

Draco woke up with an idea burning bright in his mind. He wanted to take the potion then, at that moment. After his fight with Hermione, he wanted nothing more than to push himself as far from her as possible. Now that he was inside of his Potion Professor's office however, he was having second doubts. He knew that he potion was not yet ready, having still a few hours to go.

And then…once he took it, he was back. No more being friends with Hermione, no more being nice. He would be Draco Malfoy again, back in all of his glorious hateful existence. Hermione had changed Draco; did he really want to change back to his old ways? He looked at the shimmering blue potion and made a decision, he was going to do it. His feelings for Hermione made him nothing but weak, she had hurt him. He would go back and never have to experience the unwanted feelings she stirred in him again. He procured a vial from his robes and eagerly dipped it into the potion. It was full to the brim with the fluorescent blue liquid.

Without fear, he tipped the beaker to his lips and downed it in one gulp. Draco licked his lips and felt them grow warm and tingly. Soon his whole body was tingling and vibrating. This must be part of the process, he assured himself. He couldn't have taken it too early. Surely not. He gasped suddenly as he felt a sharp pain in his chest. The next thing Draco knew, the room faded to black.

--------------

Hermione sighed and stretched. Her arms came in contact with warm flesh and she opened her eyes to see Harry's face right next to hers and her arms and legs entangled around him. She immediately felt a blush rise to her cheeks as she remembered the night before. Harry was sleeping peacefully and deeply, he had not noticed her awake. She carefully eased out from around him and sighed with accomplishment as she did so with out waking him. She turned to find a bathroom- which she was sure would pop up sometime, since she very obviously needed one, and tripped on a large object and promptly fell flat on her butt.

"Argh!" she exclaimed and grabbed her foot, which happened to be what hit the object. The object Itself was a tray of delicious breakfast. What? She hadn't wanted that. Why was it here?

"Are you okay?" Harry startled her by asking her feebly. Hermione have a squeak of alarm and saw that Harry was setting up on the couch.

"I'm okay, I tripped over something,"

Harry blushed and chuckled lightly, "I think I accidentally wanted that, so I suppose it's my fault that you fell," he told her.

"Oh, well I'm fine so no harm done there. Do you know what time it is?" she asked, trying to cover up her immense embarrassment from her fall.

"Uh, I think it's seven," Harry replied, pointing at a hanging wall clock that just popped up over Hermione's head. She laughed , of course it would have appeared just as she asked.

"Well then we should be going to breakfast now, I bet Dumbledore's just serving it," she said Harry yawned and nodded, his stomach growling. He was tempted to offer that the two of them just stay in there and eat together, but that was probably too bold. Besides, he knew she would probably want to find and make up with Draco after their fight the night before. He and Hermione grabbed their robes and Hermione ran a brush quickly through her hair then they exited the room.

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"Morning Hermione, Harry," Ron said through a big bite of hash browns when the duo spied him at the Gryffindor table not long later.

"Morning Ron, I see you're already cleaning off the table," Harry joked. Ron glared at him and looked questioningly at Hermione.

"Did you hear?" he asked her sadly. Hermione shook her head and Ron nodded towards the teachers table. "That friend of yours, Diana is gone. She went back to America! Just like that. Without even saying goodbye to me."

"What?" Hermione couldn't believe what he had told her. If Diana was gone, that meant that Draco was back and didn't even tell her goodbye. Ron didn't reply, he was gaping at the Slytherin table. Hermione's heart skipped a beat as she glanced to see what he was staring at, knowing even before she looked what she would see.

Draco Malfoy strutted to the Slytherin table, his black robes billowing behind him. He looked just as he had before becoming Diana. His white-blonde hair shined brilliantly and his cool gray eyes were hard and sharp. He even had his typical "I'm better than you" look, and characteristic stride to complete the look that was known as Draco Malfoy. He smirked at the attention he was getting and raised a single eyebrow delicately as everyone gawked at him. Cheers erupted from his table and several students stood up to clap at his arrival. Pansy ran to him and threw her arms about his neck in a painful-looking embrace.

"Oh Draco darling, you're back!" she cooed. Draco smirked again and hugged her back lightly. Hermione stared at him in wonder and her heart skipped a beat as his eyes met hers over Pansy's dark hair. He narrowed them and turned away from her as if looking at her offended him. Hermione turned her head away sharply and flinched. He hadn't changed a single bit, he was still the same Draco Malfoy that he had always been.

The room quieted abruptly and Hermione looked up to see that Dumbledore had risen to the podium and was about to make a speech. She sat down with Harry and awaited his words, but in the back of her mind she was stunned by Draco's return. Dumbledore smiled at the students and waited for them to quiet.

"As you all remember, a student of ours went to America on a foreign exchange program, and we in return received a student from America. Due to some personal family matters, Diana had to leave last night to head back home. This of course means that Draco Malfoy returned this morning. Everyone, give Draco a greeting home!"

The Slytherin table cheered loudly, the other tables clapped politely. The Gryffindor table didn't clap at all, on the principle that they would not clap for the return of any Slytherin. Dumbledore beamed as Draco was greeted warmly and sat down to continue with his breakfast. Hermione no longer felt hungry and pushed her food in front of her.

"What's wrong?" Ron asked her. Hermione couldn't explain to him that she was terribly disappointed because Draco had not changed, Ron wouldn't understand. She shook her head and said she just had a headache.

"I think I'll go to the library where it's quiet, I think the noise is getting to me," she lied. Ron nodded his head, not paying attention. Hermione nodded at Harry, avoiding eye contact because she knew that he would be able to read her face and know what was troubling her. She excused herself quickly, and nearly ran out of the room. Harry watched her go with a frown. He didn't need to read her face to know what was wrong, Draco's presence was verification enough. Bloody Malfoy! He cursed. Why did he have to go off and do that? His heart hurt knowing the pain Hermione must be feeling, she had looked so sad.

-----------------

Harry nudged Hermione beside him in Potions and watched her come back to life. She'd been spacing out something horrible the past few minutes and Snape was outlining the potion they were about to perform. Harry needed Hermione alert so that she could help him make it.

"Hmm?" she asked. Harry nodded toward Snape and Hermione sighed. Oh right, the potion project. Hermione had completely forgotten about it. She'd been thinking about Draco, to be honest. He was setting in the back of the room with Pansy and Crabbe, snickering about something or another. She was sure she'd heard the word "mudblood" from him. Why had he gone back to his Slytherin ways? She began taking notes as Snape talked and tried to ignore the snickering Slytherin's.

"I'm going to put you in partners and you'll make the Calming Drought," the oily haired professor instructed, keenly aware that few students were paying much attention to them. Well, they would certainly pay attention once they failed their potion. He almost chuckled at the thought as he started to pair up each student with a partner, calling out their names then pointing them to a designated cauldron and table to work at. Finally there were only a few students left, and Snape knew he was going to get immense pleasure from pairing up the last two.

"Granger, you are going to be with," Snape trailed off, smirking slightly. "Malfoy."

_What_? Hermione turned to Draco in shock and saw his face twisted in displeasure. He paired her with Draco after he knew good and well what happened between them? She frowned and looked at Harry, who shrugged his shoulders to show that he sympathized, but didn't know what to tell her. He himself got paired with Goyle and wasn't looking forward to working on the potion either. Hermione sighed and looked over at Draco again, who had just been getting up and heading over to their work station. She grudgingly picked up her things and joined him at their designated cauldron and lab.

"Watch it," Draco growled as Hermione accidentally bumped into him while getting out their ingredients. Hermione glared at him but kept her silence. It was quite obvious that neither of them were going to be talking to one another, which was more than fine with her.

Five minutes later she had started their potion and was off to a wonderful start, but she stopped when Pansy suddenly made an appearance beside Draco. She was paired with Zabini, who was doing all the work for their potion. Hermione eyed the sultry Slytherin as she sat herself on a table near Draco- who was on the opposite end of their station in effort to get himself as far from Hermione as possible. Annoyed at her intrusion and the fact that she was leaving her partner to do all of their work, Hermione asked her what she thought she was doing there.

"Well Mudblood, I'm talking to Draco, do you have a problem with that?" she sneered.

Hermione put her hands on her hips and lowered her eyes, "Yes, Pansy I do. As it is, Draco has to work on this potion and I hardly think your being here will help."

Pansy looked sweetly at Draco then back at Hermione before replying. " I think you can do it yourself. Draco and I have much catching up to do," she said. Hermione rolled her eyes and was slightly offended when Draco didn't stand up for her. Well then again, he was Draco and not Diana. She cursed in her mind as she once again continued her potion. If Draco wasn't going to help, she would do it all herself and get an A. Her grades would not suffer for his stupidity. As she worked diligently, she could not help but overhear the Slytherin's conversation.

"Oh Draco, I missed you so much," Pansy purred sweetly. "You should have seen the awful girl they sent in your place. She was dreadful."

Draco smiled a little, "How so?" he asked.

Pansy pursed her lips and sighed, "Well first of all, they put her in Gryffindor. Then she made friends with that mudblood over there and harassed me! Can you believe it?"

"That must have been terrible for you, just awful," Draco said, comforting her. They began talking some more but Hermione wasn't listening as clearly. Had Draco forgotten that he had been that new girl? He'd had courage then, she remembered. He had stood up for her then but he wouldn't now. Coward, she thought. He could do the right thing when no one knew he was doing it, but not when people thought of him as Draco. She didn't realize that she'd turned the berries she was supposed to slightly mash into a fine liquid until she looked at them. Hermione fought down the urge to curse and grabbed another dish of the berries and began again. She couldn't believe that he had made her that mad.

"Hey mudblood, you're lucky that Diana bitch left before I got to show her a piece of my mind," Pansy taunted, interrupting Hermione's work and thoughts.

"Oh really?" Hermione asked, obviously not believing her.

Pansy smirked, "Yeah, that blonde bimbo was going to see what was coming to her. Too bad she had to leave first."

"That blonde bimbo was twice the person you are, Pansy."

"Why you little! The nerve. Draco, do you see the way she talks to me?" Pansy pouted. Draco shrugged his shoulders, feeling a little uncomfortable. He was mad at Hermione, sure, but he wasn't about to see a fight occur between her and Pansy.

"Cool it Pansy, you don't want to get into trouble by Snape," Draco said softly. Pansy looked at him and made a great show of melting.

"Of course Draco, of course," she cooed. "I'm going back to my cauldron, if I don't now I might do something to that mudblood bitch that I will regret."

Draco began to nod his head when Pansy planted her dark red lips on his own. He was caught off guard but allowed the kiss to go on. However, the only thing going through his mind as his lips smashed onto hers, was how much he wished that it were Hermione and not her whom he was kissing. Once he realized that thought, he broke the kiss abruptly.

"Why did you do that? Did you not want the Mudblood to see us kissing? She's with Potty now so you shouldn't worry. She won't try to ravage you, darling. Although I do have to say, Potter could do better than her," Pansy said in a sweet evil voice. Draco glanced at Hermione, who's hands were clutching the vial she was holding so tight it was as if the glass were about to break. She was furious.

"I-" he began when Hermione's angry voice cut him off.

"Harry is my friend, Pansy. I'm sure the idea of just being friends with a male without sexually being attracted to them is quite beyond you, but that's what Harry and I are,"

Pansy was utterly horrified, "Are you calling me a slut?" She looked to Draco for support in this argument. He knew that he was obligated as a Slytherin to defend her.

"Shut up, Mudblood. Just because Pansy's had more boyfriends than you, and you're jealous, doesn't give you the right to harass her," he drawled. Hermione's eyes widened and before she knew what she was doing, she'd dumped the entire contents of their potion over his head.

"You little prat! I can't believe you would talk to me like that. Don't you dare ever call me a mudblood again!" she screamed, finally having let out her pent up anger towards Draco. The class, whom by now was watching Hermione and Draco with the utmost interest, broke out into laughter.

"Bloody hell, Hermione!" Ron said across the room. His eyes were wide and his face red from laughter. Harry, Neville, and the other Gryffindor's joined in on the humor. A few Slytherin's even chuckled. Hermione, Draco, and Pansy were not smiling. Neither was Snape. The class quieted to a dead silence when their potions master stood up. Draco was standing, stunned, the potion dripping down his hair to his face and robes.

"What happened here?" Snape asked in a deadly silky voice. Hermione's face burned and she started to explain, but Snape cut her off with a cold stare.

"Granger did it! She poured it all over my poor baby!" Pansy squealed, trying furiously to wipe the liquid off Draco's robes and hair. Unfortunately, the unfinished brew was beginning to turn his hair a light pink tint. The Gryffindor's noticed this and snickered quietly.

Snape ignored them and turned his wrath to Pansy, "Did I ask you?" he questioned icily.

Pansy gulped and lowered her hands from Draco's hair. "Uh, no, sorry Professor Snape," she mumbled. Snape ignored her apology and now focused his attention on Hermione and Draco.

"Get to Dumbledore's office, now," he ordered. "I will join you later and we will discuss this situation."

Hermione and Draco both hadn't a thought to disobey him- Draco had rarely seen Severus Snape so angry. He grabbed his coat and marched out of the room. Hermione followed at a much slower pace, accepting looks of sympathy and praise from Harry and Ron. She knew she would just about become a hero for what she did to the stereotypical bad Slytherin, but she had a feeling that the trouble she was about to get in would far outweigh any fame she would receive.

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Tears stung Hermione's eyes as she silently followed Draco along the passage to Dumbledore's office. She was mortified at the thought of getting into serious trouble. When she had dumped the potion on Draco, she hadn't really thought the consequences of her actions out. And she was going to be in so much trouble! They might suspend her. Draco could claim harassment even. Hermione bit back tears and gulped as she imagined her spotless record dirtied by this single incident.

Draco couldn't believe Hermione had embarrassed him like that. Didn't she know who he was? She couldn't do that to him, especially in front of everyone like that. He knew she had done it on purpose. What was worse was everyone laughing at him. Today was supposed to be his day, how could she ruin it? By this time they were nearing the gargoyle that guarded Dumbledore's office. What was the password? Cursing under his breath for not knowing the password, Draco turned to Hermione- who looked on the verge of tears, and asked here if she knew.

"What's the password?" he barked. Hermione bit her lip and shook her head, signaling that she did not know. Oh this was just wonderful. Stuck outside Dumbledore's office waiting for someone to come along and tell them the password. Stuck with Hermione in fact. _Great_. It was about now that he noticed that Hermione was crying. Oh for Merlin's sake, he hadn't asked her that harshly, had he?

"What?" he asked, not really knowing even why he asked. It wasn't as if he cared how she felt. She was nothing to him anymore.

"Nothing," she mumbled.

Draco knew she was lying, "Then why are you crying?"

"I'm not!"

"Then what are tears running down your face for?" he asked haughtily.

Hermione tried to stop more tears from flowing her face to no avail. "You wouldn't care," she said.

But despite what he wished to feel, Draco felt compelled to find out why she was crying, "Try me," he told her.

"Fine. I'm crying because you're a prat and I don't know why I ever thought you would change," she spat with venom.

"Well that's your fault then for thinking I would. Did you think we would go to being buddies or something? Merlin Granger, life doesn't work like that,"

Hermione shook her head and stomped her foot angrily on the ground. "What about when you were Diana? You had no problems being my friend then!"

"That was different," Draco replied immediately.

"Oh really? How?" Hermione asked, her arms now crossed and her eyebrow raised.

"Because…because it just was," he said weakly, knowing Hermione would find that as a pathetic excuse for an explanation.

She frowned, "Because then no one knew. You were Diana, you didn't have to hide it. But now that you're the wonderful Draco Malfoy, you can't be seen with me. That's it. You're nothing but a filthy coward afraid of losing the respect and admiration of your classmates. You can be my friend in secret, but not when it counts."

"You say it like it's a lot worse than it is. You don't understand what it's like to have to keep up a reputation-"

"I don't? Are you so self centered that you haven' t stop to think about what I would risk with our friendship? Ron would be horrified, my housemates would be disgusted. I have just as much to loose as you do, I don't know why you can't see that," she snapped.

Draco had to acknowledge that she was right. "Okay, so you have something to lose also. But Hermione, think about it. I'm Draco Malfoy. I can't just up and become friends with you. I mean, what would my dad do?"

"So you're ashamed to be my friend…"

"No! I didn't mean it like that. Merlin Hermione you make this difficult. It would be downright dangerous to be your friend. For me and you too. Do you think Pansy would leave you alone? Or any of the rest of them?"

Hermione thought about this, he had a valid point. She could definitely see Pansy forcing her into a fight or something over Draco's friendship. "You're right. But why didn't you even tell me you were going to take the potion? You didn't even say goodbye to me."

"Well after that night, I didn't think you would want to speak to me again," he told her.

"Oh Draco, I would have if you had tried. I was…well I was very upset,"

Draco felt ashamed, he didn't mean anything he had said to her that night. "Hermione…I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean any of it, I just couldn't help it."

"Do you really mean that?" Hermione asked him, surprised by his apology and moved by the emotion in his voice behind it. Draco nodded his head and sighed.

"The truth is Hermione, I think I miss being your friend. You have a way of making me feel like I'm a decent person." he told her.

Hermione felt herself smile, "I miss being your friend also, Draco."

"Well then let's stop fighting or whatever and talk to each other again. I mean in secret of course-" Draco noticed how Hermione's face fell slightly, "because it would be too risky otherwise. We can't tell anyone. I mean you can tell Harry since he knows about me, but that's it. Okay?" He watched for Hermione's reaction, knowing that she would be hesitant because he didn't want anyone to know about their friendship. He noticed how she fidgeted with her hair for a moment, twirling it on her finger. He was really asking a lot of her. Finally after a few moments of thought, she met his eyes.

"Okay," Hermione told him quietly, a soft smile on her face.

"Well I am very glad to see that the two of you have made up," a voice spoke suddenly from behind the two students. Draco and Hermione both flinched and gasped in unison. Albus Dumbledore chuckled lightly and smiled at both Hermione and Draco. "Surprised you?" he asked.

Hermione regained her breath from the fright, "Yes Professor, very much!"

Dumbledore chuckled again, "Ah yes well I do hope you didn't mind my eavesdropping, but you see I was to meet two students here sent by Professor Snape, and I was to punish them for a class mishap."

"Professor, that was all my fault, I goaded Hermione into it-" Draco started, horrified at the idea that they would be getting into trouble. Both he and Hermione had forgotten about what had happened in class.

Dumbledore cut him off, "No explanations, please. Severus has informed me of the incident ,and I think none are necessary. Though both of you have behaved quite appallingly, I think that having to speak to one another and make up was punishment enough. You may go with only a warning that such an incident is not to happen again."

"Thank you so much Professor!" Hermione exclaimed, thankful that her record would not have a black mark upon it. Dumbledore smiled at Hermione and Draco and told them that they had better hurry to lunch. They had been there so long that class was already over! Hermione gasped and thanked Dumbledore again, then her and Draco started for the Great Hall.

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Unbeknownst to any of the party, there was a fourth witnessing the conversation between Hermione and Draco. Harry signed as he watched them walk together to lunch, his mind processing the information he had heard. It was blatantly obvious to him that Hermione had feelings for Draco, romantic feelings. He had watched her twirl with her hair as she thought about his proposition of friendship, and noticed the look in her eyes every time her eyes had met Draco's. There was no doubt in his mind that Hermione liked Draco. And of course Draco liked her, Harry had known that for a while now. It was made known in the way he looked at her, the way he said her name, and the way he watched her walk away from him. Yes, they liked each other.

Oh Merlin what a mess! Harry had just worked up the guts to ask Hermione to the upcoming ball, even though under the pretense of "friends". But she obviously liked Draco. And he liked her, so shouldn't they be happy together? Though Harry had liked Hermione for quite some time now, she just felt for him as a friend. He felt guilty about going to the dance with her when she could be going with someone she really liked. Maybe he could do something to help her. He knew she wasn't happy with her and Draco's friendship being hidden. Maybe he could persuade Draco to take Hermione to the ball. He himself could take Ginny, she was friendly and nice enough. Harry made up his mind then to have a talk with Draco, and hopefully make the dance a night memorable for Hermione.

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"Well, I suppose we should go in separately," Hermione said when her and Draco became near to the Great Hall.

Draco nodded his head, of course they would have to. He smiled at Hermione apologetically, he knew that she didn't like the fact that they would have to hide their friendship. But Draco saw no other way for them to remain friends unless in secret.

"You can go first, I'll wait a while and go after. And Hermione, thanks," He told her. Hermione nodded her head and waved goodbye softly, then proceeded to the Gryffindor table. Draco watched her go and sighed. It seemed like things were almost easier when he was Diana.

* * *

Wow I didn't think it would take me so long to get this chapter out. School has been keeping me extreamly busy. That and a new boyfriend :) I guess I've been having some writers block. But now that it's Christmas break, I've had some more time. I don't really like the second half of this chapter much, I think it's really weak, I prefer the first part. I have two more chapters that I'll write, then this will finally be done :) And I can focus on my other fanfic, My Daughter (I think that's what I have it called now, I change the title a lot). Anyways I hope you like this chapter, the next one should be out before I go back to school.

Of course, I think my reviewers!

Sayaku-chan- Thank you very much for your review :) I'm sorry this newest chapter took such a long time to come out, hopefully you'll read it!

Angelo Del Ghiaccio- I did, it just took me a while :) Hope you like this chapter!

your.anti.drug- hehe thanks, hopefully I'll be finishing this very soon!

mony-hp- lol thank you very much for saying you don't mind waiting till I finish, because this chapter took a long time to get out! Sorry it was more than a few weeks- more like ten! I hope you like this chapter, and if all goes well the next one will be out sooner!


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